Reader's Digest Condened Books Volume M1984 Author:The Reader's Digest Association Sadie, Our Favorite Lady, Takes Osaka — Everyone knows that Sadie Shapiro, the feisty heroine of Sadie Shapiro;s Knittng Book, is tops wth American readers. But who would've thought that Sadie would be the lady for Osaka? And yet, she is. Sadie has won the hearts of the Japanese audience of Condensed Books as completely as she won our own. Moreov... more »er, she is just one of a string of surprising favorites with our readers abroad. Others are the indomitable Mrs Pollfax; that curmudgeon Mr. Horowitz ad his long-suffering nurse, Mrs Washington; the winsome Indian, Litte Tree; and any threatened heroine from a Mary Higgins Clark thrille. All of which bears out what the founding editors of Reader's Digest Condensed Books was launched in England in 1954, just four years after the U.S. edition. Today, international Condensed Books from Vaasa, Finland, to Oamaru, New Zealand.
Typically, about half the titles in our international volumes are American or British books. And all of those, of course, must be translated into the language of the country in which they'll appear. This is not always easy, for even small cultural differences can lead to big misunderstandings. "What," one puzzled overseas editor wrote, is Heinz pickle?"
In addition to American favorites, our international editions include condensations of their own. The French are partial to historical romances, with French heroines in exotic settings. German readers like books about almost anything tha flies, and the British anything that floats. And if it floats and shoots at the same time, the British are apt to like it especially.
For U.S. readers, there is a bonus in all internationalism. If you enjoyed The Whale of the Victoria Cross in this volume, thank our French editors, who fell in love with Aunt Margot hen they read the book in its original French over a year ago. It's nice to know that solid stories and strong characters travel both ways across the seas.« less