The International Booker Prize is one of the most important literary awards in the world, established in 2005 in Great Britain. Its aim is to promote interesting and innovative non-English literature that has been translated into this language. Although this year’s nominees are dominated by authors from South America, this honorable group also includes a Pole – Urszula Honek.
Urszula Honek among the nominees for the prestigious International Booker Prize
It’s about her latest book titled “White Nights”, which was translated into English by Kate Webster. The nomination of a Polish woman for such a recognized and prestigious award is the best proof that Polish literature is becoming more and more recognized around the world.
In Urszula Honek’s debut collection of short stories, which is woven together with delicate threads of connections like a novel, everyday life becomes disturbing and dark, although the source of the threat cannot be found. People are born and die, long and dream, feel sad and afraid, until they finally lose their minds unnoticed. Time perspectives are mixed here, narrators change, something is happening in the waking world, something is happening in the mind of a madman, and darkness is spreading in the mountain valleys
– we read in the description of the book published by “Wydawnictwo Czarne”.
Most of the nominees include artists from South America. The nominations were won by, among others: Argentinian poet Selva Almada, Venezuelan writer Rodrigo Blanco Calderón, Brazilian Itamar Vieira Junior and Peruvian journalist Gabriela Wiener. However, among the nominees for the award there are also authors from Europe, such as: Albanian writer Ismail Kadare, Ukrainian writer Andriy Kurkov and Italian writer, screenwriter and journalist Domenico Starnone.
The results of the competition will be announced next month. The award ceremony is to take place on May 21 in London, but the six books finalists of the International Booker will be announced on April 9. The prize for the winning title is PLN 50,000. pounds and is divided equally between the author and the translator.
International Booker Prize 2024. Full list of nominees:
- “Not a River” by Selva Almada, transl. Annie McDermott,
- “Simpatía” by Rodrigo Blanco Calderon, transl. Noel Hernández González and Daniel Hahn,
- “Kairos” by Jenny Erpenbeck, transl. Michael Hoffmann,
- “The Details” by Ia Genberg, transl. Kira Josefsson,
- “White Nights” Urszula Honek, transl. Kate Webster,
- “Mater 2-10” by Hwang Sok-yong, transl. Sora Kim-Russell and Youngjae Josephine Bae,
- “A Dictator Calls” by Ismail Kadare, transl. John Hodgson,
- “The Silver Bone” Andrey Kurkov, transl. Boris Dralyuk,
- “What I’d Rather Not Think About” by Jente Posthuma, transl. Sarah TimmerHarvey,
- “Lost on Me” by Veronica Raimo, transl. Leah Janeczko,
- “The House Via Gemito” by Domenico Starnone, transl. Oonagh Stransky,
- “Crooked Plow” by Itamar Vieira Junior, transl. Johnny Lorenz,
- “Undiscovered”, Gabriela Wiener, transl. Julia Sanchez.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
