From the Bible to Alice, from Wilde to Jung — and why translators reread more than anyone should.
What book could I read over and over again?
Ah… here we go.
This is where people expect a noble title, a classic, a masterpiece.
And I’m like:
Now… this could be OCD… right?
Because in childhood I read — and reread — the Bible and Alice in Wonderland.
A combination that explains… absolutely everything about me.
In adolescence, I fell madly in love with Oscar Wilde, Bernard Shaw, and Shakespeare.
Drama, sarcasm, and existential glitter — the holy trinity.
In my twenties, I discovered nonfiction.
Philosophy. Psychology.
The kind of books that make you feel smart until you realize you’ve highlighted the entire chapter.
So no, I cannot name one book.
Not even one author.
But there is one.
Haha.
The one that makes me feel…
and stay…
Forever Jung.
Now I read professionally — which is a polite way of saying I sometimes read the same manuscript so many times that my brain files a complaint.
Moments of… boredom.
Moments of… awe… fury… passion…
All in one paragraph.
And as a translator, you sometimes fall in love with a world that isn’t yours.
It happened to me.
A few times.
Like with Rita H. Rowe’s book — first translated into German, then into Romanian.
Beautiful experience.
But no, I will not read it over and over again.
Ten times was enough.
For now.
So what book could I read endlessly?
Honestly… none.
And all.
Outro
If you’re curious about the author I mentioned — Rita H. Rowe is an Australian English teacher with a gift for writing addictive, emotional page‑turners. She’s the author of several romance novels, all beautifully written, all impossible to put down. And yes, I can’t wait for her next book.
Her novel Gin and Toxic is a standout — a real‑life story of passion, alcohol, and intrigue that deserves to be filmed one day. If you want to dive into her world, you can find all her books on Amazon.
Julia Kalman 
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