Worldcrunch
While literary distinctions are evolving, the divide between local and foreign literature remains firmly in place. In 2024, it is easier for writers to change passports than to change bookshelves, says Vincenzo Latronico, an Italian writer who lived in Berlin and published a book in German.
Many international authors are available in other languages only after they are translated for the U.S. market. While this allows for wider circulation of work, it still determines the fate of many foreign authors, while sometimes losing their idiosyncrasies. Some publishing houses in Europe are trying a different approach. Will they be able to emancipate Europe from U.S. literary hegemony?