The Unstoppable Growth of Translated Literature in UK Publishing

Posted on April 29, 2026 in South West

With the winner for the International Booker Prize being announced on the 18th May, it’s the perfect time to assess the importance of translated books within the UK publishing industry. In this week’s blog, I will explore how and why translated literature has grown in appeal in the UK, spotlighting some brilliant publishers that work hard to bring global voices to UK readers. 

The Growing Trend of Translated Books

Up until recently, the majority of translated literature has been regarded as occupying a fairly niche section of the UK’s publishing industry, with a small number of translated books hitting the bestseller lists. However, over the last decade, there has been increasing interest in translated books amongst readers and the industry alike. In 2016, the International Booker Prize was launched as an annual award, which has since led to sales boosts for nominated authors and publishers. In 2023, UK consumers spent £23 million on translated fiction books, up by 12% from the previous year. Young people in particular are much more likely to pick up a translated book, as the International Booker Prize reported that the largest purchase group of translated fiction was 25-34 year olds.

So why has translated literature become cool, all of a sudden? Social media has clearly made many readers more receptive to global culture and trends, as well as political issues. Novels from Japan have particularly captured the imaginations of UK audiences, with books such as Before the Coffee Gets Cold and What You Are Looking For Is in the Library selling millions of copies and contributing to the rising trend of ‘cosy fiction’. BookTok has allowed many books and authors to experience a resurgence in popularity, such as White Nights, a relatively obscure novella by Fyodor Dostoyevsky which became Penguin’s bestselling classic of 2024. Other popular translated books also have more overtly political themes, reflecting contemporary issues in society that directly appeal to readers.

However, there is still much more work to be done to ensure that translated literature doesn’t simply fade out as an online trend. Books from certain countries such as Japan, South Korea and France have dominated the translated fiction market, leaving authors from other, less appreciated countries still under the radar. Translated books are also frequently associated with the ‘literary fiction’ genre, with less demand for other genres such as fantasy, sci-fi or even children’s books. 

Translated literature allows readers to experience other ways of thinking and different forms of culture and history with the simple act of picking up a book, and its importance needs to be appreciated within the UK’s publishing industry. 

Numerous independent publishing companies specialising in translated books have been created in the last 15 years, and many of their titles have since won literary awards such as the International Booker Prize. Here is a non-exhaustive list of these independent publishers – support them by checking out their books and events!

Peirene Press

Based in Bath and London and established in 2008, Peirene Press initially specialised in European novellas but has since widened its scope to publish different forms of writing from across the globe. She Who Remains, by Rene Karabash and translated from the Bulgarian by Izidora Angel, has been shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2026. 

Charco Press

Charco is based in Edinburgh and specialises in translating contemporary Latin American literature from Spanish or Portuguese into English. It publishes books encompassing a variety of genres, narrative styles and themes, with the aim of making these works accessible to a wider, global audience. Several of Charco’s books have been nominated for literary awards, including Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro and the Adventures of China Iron by Gabriela Cabezón Camára. 

Tilted Axis Press

Tilted Axis Press was established in 2015 by Deborah Smith, the translator of Han Kang’s widely acclaimed novel, The Vegetarian. The not-for-profit press aims to explore alternatives ‘to the hierarchisation of certain languages and forms of translation, and the monoculture of globalisation’. Tilted Axis focuses on literature from countries in Asia and Africa and less commercial works than those by larger publishing houses. It have published 42 books, including Tomb of Sand, written by Geetanjali Shree and translated by Daisy Rockwell, which won the International Booker Prize in 2022 and became the first novel written in Hindi to take the award. 

And Other Stories

Based in Sheffield, And Other Stories has remained committed to not only decentralising the publishing industry away from London, but also to highlighting underrepresented, global voices in fiction. Most notably, it was the only publisher to commit to Kamila Shamsie’s call for a Year of Publishing Women in 2018, releasing books only written by women for the entire year. And Other Stories has also hosted ‘reading groups’, where readers discuss titles from a particular language that the publisher is considering to translate. Heart Lamp, by Banu Mushtaq and translated by Deepa Bhastri, won the International Booker Prize 2025 – the first short-story collection to receive the award.

Fitzcarraldo Editions

Known for its iconic blue covers, Fitzcarraldo focuses on experimental and innovative writing by less well-known authors, both in translation and in English. Four of their authors have gone on to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, with Norwegian writer Jon Fosse taking the award in 2023. Along with Giramondo Publishing and New Directions, Fitzcarraldo launched the biennial Poetry in Translation prize in 2024, awarding an advance of $5000 shared between the poet and translator. 

By Jane Bentham