Amazon starts imprint to publish international titles

May 19 2010

Amazon has announced a new publishing imprint called AmazonCrossing. The goal of this imprint is to publish foreign titles that will be translated into English. Readers in the US have a history of being weary of translated titles, which make up only a small percentage of overall book sales in this country.

The online retailer began its first imprint, AmazonEncore, as a way to give exposure to great writers who are more-than-worthy of being published. AmazonCrossing has the same goal, only at the international level. Jeff Belle, VP of Books, says in an Amazon press release:

“The goal of our publishing programs is to introduce readers to terrific authors they might not otherwise have the chance to know,” said Jeff Belle, Vice President of Books. “Our international customers have made us aware of exciting established and emerging voices from other cultures and countries that have not been translated for English-language readers. These great voices and great books deserve a wider audience, and that’s why we created AmazonCrossing.”

I’m thrilled to see a major US company like Amazon working to expose readers to a wider variety of books from different cultures. One translated book that easily comes to mind is The Alchemist (aff link) by Paulo Coelho. The novel, originally written in Portuguese, has been translated into 56 languages. It has won a Guinness World Record for having been translated into the most languages by a living author (source).

One of the many parts of literature I love is how easily it crosses cultural lines. Literature is universal. One reason for this is that the human condition is the same wherever you go in the world. At the same time, cultures have their own flavors that provide a diverse learning experience for those who are enlightened enough to look beyond their own backyard.

I’ll be looking forward to seeing the titles AmazonCrossing publishes. Do you have a favorite novel that has been translated into English? Leave a comment below with your answer.

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