The longlist for the International Booker Prize, recognizing the best translated fiction, has been announced, showcasing a diverse range of voices and stories. Thirteen authors and their translators are in contention for the £50,000 prize, split equally between them. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the prize in its current format, celebrating translated works and their increasing accessibility to English-language readers.
Among the nominees are returning contenders Olga Ravn, Daniel Kehlmann, Ia Genberg, Mathias Énard, and Gabriela Cabezón Cámara. Kehlmann’s inclusion is for The Director
, translated by Ross Benjamin, a novel inspired by the life of filmmaker G.W. Pabst and his complex relationship with the Third Reich. A review in The Guardian described the work as Kehlmann’s best yet, praising its darkness, shapeshifting ambiguity and glittering unease.
Ravn’s nominated work, The Wax Child
, translated by Martin Aitken, delves into the historical context of 17th-century Danish witch trials. The theme of witchcraft also appears in Marie NDiaye’s The Witch
, translated by Jordan Stump, originally published in 1996, marking a return to a previously longlisted author. NDiaye was also shortlisted in 2013 when the prize recognized a writer’s entire body of work.
The longlist also highlights works with significant histories. Shahrnush Parsipur’s Women Without Men
, translated by Faridoun Farrokh, was originally published in Persian in 1989. The novel, featuring five women finding refuge in a garden outside Tehran, faced censorship and led to Parsipur’s imprisonment in Iran, both before and after its initial publication. Its continued relevance and inclusion on this list underscores the power of literature to challenge and endure.
Swedish author Ia Genberg is recognized for Small Comfort
, translated by Kira Josefsson, a collection of interconnected stories. Mathias Énard’s inclusion, The Deserters
, translated by Charlotte Mandell, represents the 17th International Booker nomination for Fitzcarraldo, the most-nominated imprint in the prize’s history. Peirene Press also receives recognition with Rene Karabash’s She Who Remains
, translated by Izidora Angel, a story centered around a woman who chooses a life of sworn virginity to avoid an arranged marriage.
This year’s longlist features three debut writers: Shida Bazyar with The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran
, translated by Ruth Martin; Matteo Melchiorre with The Duke
, translated by Antonella Lettieri; and Karabash with She Who Remains
. Argentinian writer Gabriela Cabezón Cámara’s We Are Green and Trembling
, translated by Robin Myers, previously won the US National Book Award for translated literature last year.
Rounding out the longlist are The Remembered Soldier
by Anjet Daanje, translated by David McKay; On Earth As It Is Beneath
by Ana Paula Maia, translated by Padma Viswanathan; and Taiwan Travelogue
by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, translated by Lin King.
Natasha Brown, chair of the judging panel, noted a recurring theme in the submissions. Many of the submitted books examined the devastating consequences of war, which is reflected in our longlist,
she said. The list also features petty squabbles between neighbours, mysterious mountain villages, big pharma conspiracies, witchy women, ill-fated lovers, a haunted prison, and obscure film references. The page counts range from ‘pocket-friendly’ to ‘doorstopper’. And while the books’ original publication dates span four decades, each story feels fresh and innovative.”
The shortlist of six books will be announced on , with each shortlisted author and translator receiving £5,000. The winner will be revealed on , at a ceremony held at Tate Modern in London. The judging panel also includes mathematician Marcus du Sautoy, translator Sophie Hughes, and writers Troy Onyango and Nilanjana S Roy.
This year saw a record number of submissions originating from 34 different languages, according to Booker Prize Foundation chief executive Gaby Wood, a sign, perhaps, that translated works from an ever-broader range of original languages are increasingly available to anglophone readers.
The International Booker Prize continues to champion translated fiction, with previous winners like Han Kang, Olga Tokarczuk, and Georgi Gospodinov going on to achieve international acclaim, and in some cases, the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Readers interested in exploring the longlisted titles can find them at guardianbookshop.com, though delivery charges may apply.
