Ask HN: What are some great books that are relatively unknown in the US? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What are some great books that are relatively unknown in the US?

#71

Post by abrowne » Sat, Jun 23, 2018, 5:37 PM UTC

JG Farrell's Empire Trilogy are my favorite fiction books, but as an American I've rarely ran into them except through foreign media, like the BBC World Service and RTÉ.

They were republished by New York Review Books Classics, and I second this collection in general.

Jean-Claude Izzo's Mediterranean noir fiction, especially his Marseilles Trilogy and The Lost Sailors also qualify. They are published in translation in the US by Europa Editions.

Many of Europa Editions' books would fit (except their few US hits, like Elena Ferrante's works, which are better-known).

Re: Ask HN: What are some great books that are relatively unknown in the US?

#72

Post by reboog711 » Sat, Jun 23, 2018, 5:48 PM UTC

Space Rogues is a fun space adventure story by an indy author, John Wilker.

https://www.amazon.com/Space-Rogues-Adventure-Adventures-Smu...

Re: Ask HN: What are some great books that are relatively unknown in the US?

#73

Post by forkLding » Sat, Jun 23, 2018, 5:49 PM UTC

The Deptford Trilogy, has a bit of a Kurt Vonnegut feel but much darker, start with Fifth Business.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Deptford_Trilogy

Re: Ask HN: What are some great books that are relatively unknown in the US?

#74

Post by sima-qian » Sat, Jun 23, 2018, 5:51 PM UTC

In terms of nonfiction books, Understanding Power by Noam Chomsky has been eye-opening. I would strongly recommend reading the footnotes alongside it, though they double the length of the book.

Even if you don't agree with Chomsky's politics or all of his conclusions, his analysis of American foreign and domestic policy is worth hearing.

Re: Ask HN: What are some great books that are relatively unknown in the US?

#75

Post by matt_the_bass » Sat, Jun 23, 2018, 5:53 PM UTC

windowshopping wrote: post #19

tastyham wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love some foreign authors like Murakami, but I always wonder what I'm losing in the translation and how much is the translator impacting the writing.

For what it’s worth, I have a friend who is a native speaker of Japanese and a fluent English speaker of 40 years, who loves Murakami and has read a number of his books in both English and Japanese. She says the translations are spot on and extremely well done.

Haruki murakami is also fluent in English (he lived in Boston area for years) and is very involved in his books ranslations into English. I have no idea about his translations into other languages.

I’ve read all his books in English. I’m a big fan of his fiction but not crazy about his non fiction.

Re: Ask HN: What are some great books that are relatively unknown in the US?

#76

Post by sthielen » Sat, Jun 23, 2018, 5:54 PM UTC

defen wrote: post #54

hprotagonist wrote: post #4

The Master and Margarita.

I loved this book. Everyone has a different opinion on what the best translation is, so it’s worth briefly scanning a few different ones to see which you like best. I had a really hard time getting into the Ginsburg translation, but really enjoyed the Pevear/Volokhonsky one. Also, this site: http://masterandmargarita.eu/en/ is a great resource if you’re not familiar with 1930s Soviet history and the Gospels (both can…

If you haven't, the 2008 Hugh Aplin translation is worth checking out. I found it made for a bit easier/more casual reading than the sometimes stuffy P/V, which lets the situational humor and the playfulness of the language come through a lot more naturally.

Re: Ask HN: What are some great books that are relatively unknown in the US?

#77

Post by jet_silver » Sat, Jun 23, 2018, 5:58 PM UTC

Erskine Childers' "The Riddle of the Sands", an analysis of German naval ambitions pre-WWI masquerading as a tense work of fiction.

Joshua Slocum's "Sailing Alone Around the World". Slocum does that.

George Ade, any of his works: he was the logical successor as a humorist to Mark Twain, yet his work doesn't wear all that well since he was in love with turn-of-the-20th-century slang. With some effort his portrayals of character turn surprisingly deep and sympathetic.

Re: Ask HN: What are some great books that are relatively unknown in the US?

#78

Post by j_b_s » Sat, Jun 23, 2018, 6:00 PM UTC

The Invisibility Cloak by Ge Fei (2016). Chinese author and setting (contemporary Beijing).

Following the theme of the solitary male antihero...a la Murakami.

Re: Ask HN: What are some great books that are relatively unknown in the US?

#79

Post by Noos » Sat, Jun 23, 2018, 6:01 PM UTC

gjkood wrote: post #36

Some great comics/graphic novels that are relatively unknown in the US Asterix comics [1] Tintin comics [2] Yes, I know Spielberg's Tintin animated movie is well known but I doubt most people in the US have heard of the entire series of Tintin comics. I couldn't devour these fast enough when I was growing up. [1] https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3... [2] https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no…

Most of Moebius's work is relatively unknown as well, although his designs are very recognizable in film.

Re: Ask HN: What are some great books that are relatively unknown in the US?

#80

Post by neom » Sat, Jun 23, 2018, 6:04 PM UTC

Americans don't have moomins. Moomins are awesome. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moomins / https://www.moomin.com/en/blog/friendship-love-central-messa...