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The Home Front

December 2008

knight from chess set

Copyright © Cyrus Chong

The Knight

By Olga Tokarczuk

“Why are you crying?” he said. “Over chess, over that knight?”

Translated from Polish by Jennifer Croft

The Karma Some Girls Have

“This story befuddles expectations and foils them.”—Ariel Dorfman

Translated from Spanish by Marina Harss

“Arnold . . . !”

By Astrid Roemer

She’s wondering how to tell his children when an immense silence numbs her.

Translated from Dutch by Laura Vroomen

Bats

By Lena Kitsopoulou

We were only thirteen. We blended in, so we were invisible.

Translated from Greek by Sidney J. Kornberg

Summer

By Mercè Rodoreda

She stopped in front of a shop window full of umbrellas, and her friend, who was walking ahead of her, suddenly turned around: “Carme, we’ll get separated!”

Translated from Catalan by Martha Tennent

Martin Hansen’s Outing

By Kjell Askildsen

I carried on walking, roaming the streets; it was just half past nine, and I had no desire to go home.

Translated from Norwegian by Agnes Scott Langeland

The Sarima’s Mission

By Miguel Angel Oxlaj

I can still hear that echo and feel the great terror that came over me at that moment.

Translated from Spanish by Sylvia Sasson Shorris

Happiness

By Mercè Rodoreda

Last night, before falling asleep, she had realized winter was almost over.

Translated from Catalan by Martha Tennent

From “Irlanda”

By Espido Freire

My cousin Irlanda was more beautiful than I remembered.

Translated from Spanish by Toshiya Kamei

From “The Remnants”

By Hagop Oshagan

Her parents, like thousands upon thousands of other creatures of their class, lived lives divided between earning their keep and taking care of their children

Translated from Armenian by G. M. Goshgarian