World Book Day 2025: 5 unmissable reads that cross borders and stay with you
This year, the British Council spotlights five remarkable works in translation that speak to our most pressing emotions and complexities – displacement, digital burnout, memory, resilience and care. These stories, though rooted in specific cultures, transcend borders to offer universal truths.
1. Under the Eye of the Big Bird – by Hiromi Kawakami, translated by Asa Yoneda
From one of Japan's most acclaimed contemporary novelists, Under the Eye of the Big Bird is a speculative masterpiece that reimagines life on Earth after humans have nearly gone extinct. In this distant future, scattered tribes live under the care of mysterious 'Mothers.' Told through fourteen interconnected episodes spanning geological ages, this quietly profound novel is both mournful and hopeful. Blending science and myth, it offers a poetic and unsettling vision of the end of humanity – and what might emerge in its place.
2. Heart Lamp: Selected Stories – by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi
In Heart Lamp, Banu Mushtaq vividly captures the everyday lives of women and girls in Muslim communities in southern India. Originally published in Kannada, these twelve stories reflect her background as a journalist and lawyer, with a sharp focus on women's rights and resistance to caste and religious injustice. Praised for their dry humour and vivid style, the stories are filled with unforgettable characters – spirited children, outspoken grandmothers, and resilient mothers navigating complex emotions. Mushtaq's writing showcases her as a keen observer of human nature and a powerful storyteller.
3. Perfection – by Vincenzo Latronico, translated by Sophie Hughes
Anna and Tom – a millennial expat couple – seem to be living an idyllic life surrounded by plants, parties, and filtered social media moments in Vincenzo Latronico's Perfection. As digital creatives, their world is curated to appear flawless, yet beneath the surface lies a growing sense of dissatisfaction and disconnection. Their relationships, careers, and political efforts all begin to feel hollow, as they search for meaning in a life built on appearances. Translated by Sophie Hughes, the novel exposes the emptiness at the heart of curated modern living. Blending sharp social commentary with a stylish, minimalist narrative, Perfection is a striking exploration of identity, authenticity, and the subtle despair of a generation caught in the glow of its own image.
4. Small Boat – by Vincent Delecroix, translated by Helen Stevenson
Small Boat is a poetic and haunting novella from France that reflects on grief, guilt, and moral responsibility. Blending fiction with real events, it is inspired by the 2021 tragedy in the English Channel, where 27 migrants died after their calls for help were mishandled. The narrator – a call handler accused of failing in her duty – offers a quiet yet powerful meditation on blame, asking why one person should carry the weight of a crisis shaped by war, politics, and indifference. Vincent Delecroix crafts a deeply philosophical tale, adrift in memory, sorrow, and unanswered questions. Through Helen Stevenson's delicate translation, Small Boat becomes both a voice of protest and a lament.
5. A Leopard-Skin Hat – by Anne Serre, translated by Mark Hutchinson
Anne Serre's A Leopard-Skin Hat is a poignant, dreamlike novella centred on an intense childhood friendship between the narrator and Fanny, a young woman grappling with deep psychological struggles. Through a series of short, elegant scenes, Serre explores the narrator's unwavering devotion and emotional turmoil, capturing the delicate dance between hope and despair that defines their bond. Moving and subtly surreal, the story blurs the line between reality and imagination, infused with Serre's trademark wit and stylistic grace. Beautifully translated by Mark Hutchinson, the novella is both a tribute to a life cut short and a quiet meditation on grief, love, and the complexities of care.
These five books demonstrate how stories can be deeply personal yet universally resonant. Perfect for World Book Day, each title is a small gem of cross-cultural imagination, offering a portal to the strange and sublime. Whether you're seeking stories that challenge, comfort, or connect, these voices from around the world invite you to read beyond the familiar – and rediscover the transformative power of literature.
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