@Readinternationally: My name is Ivana, I’m a literary translator and needless to say, a bookworm for life. I come from a somewhat mixed background (half North Macedonian, half Serbian) and have always been extremely passionate about languages and literature. Getting lost in a different world and gulping down stories was how I spent my time as a child. Learning new things has been another huge motivator for wanting to read books, and I’m still much the same as an adult. I’m UK-based, working remotely, mothering 24/7 and reading books any chance I get.
Tell Us A Little about your Bookstagram account And How It Got Started.
@Readinternationally: I started my bookstagram account in June 2020, just as I was returning back to work following maternity leave. At the time, I was buzzing with ideas and enthusiasm — motherhood has truly given me wings — and I needed a creative outlet. 2020 was when the pandemic hit us, however, and add to this the fact that I was pretty much homebound as a mother of an infant, I needed something different. I wanted to share my modest thoughts on the books I was reading, and my only clear intention at the time was to focus on discussing the world and translated literature.
Who is your Favorite indie/small press author and why?
@Readinternationally: Tough question. Too many to name, but here are a few that come to mind: The Story of My Teeth by Valeria Luiselli, Manchester Happened by Jennifer Nansububa Makumbi, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, A Lover’s Discourse by Roland Barthes, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, Bluets by Maggie Nelson.
Name: Ivana
Favorite Character: As a child, I adored (and admired) Pippi Longstocking
Favorite Genre: literary fiction, short stories, non-fiction (especially essays), experimental fiction, and graphic novels.
