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A Ghost at Noon, by Alberto Moravia, found Italy's best writer at his old sport of recording the battle of the sexes. A lesser work, it was nevertheless a shrewd inquiry into the reasons why a man of wobbly character loses the regard of a seemingly simple wife who is all woman.
Nectar in a Sieve, by Kamala Markandaya, did more to explain ordinary life in India than most of the year's nonfiction books on the subject put together. It was a tale of hunger and suffering, wholly lacking in bitterness, and creating quick sympathy for its peasant characters.
Some Prefer Nettles, by Junichiro Tanizaki, gave U.S. readers the first real chance to sample the work of Japan's No. 1 living novelist. Delicate and skillful, it showed how traditional Japanese life became riddled by personal tensions after Western influences began to take hold.
The Honor of Gaston Le Torch, by Jacques Perret, was one of the most charming extravaganzas of the year, a pleasant escapist whimsy about a Gallic Walter Mitty.