News Meet the 2023 Shortlist!

6 novels have been shortlisted for the 2023 Dublin Literary Award, sponsored by Dublin City Council. Celebrating 28 years, this award is the world’s most valuable annual prize for a single work of fiction published in English, worth €100,000 to the winner. If the book has been translated the author receives €75,000 and the translator receives €25,000.  Distinctive among literary prizes, nominations are chosen by librarians and readers from a network of libraries around the world.

The 2023 Award winner will be chosen from a diverse and international shortlist which includes four novels in translation. The shortlist features authors who are American, Mexican, German, Croatian, and Canadian-Vietnamese.The 28th winner of the Dublin Literary Award will be announced on Thursday 25th May, as part of the opening day programme of International Literature Festival Dublin (ILFDublin), which is also funded by Dublin City Council.

The shortlisted titles are:

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (American)
Published by Scribner and nominated by Katona József Library of Bács-Kiskun County, Hungary

The Trees by Percival Everett (American)
Published by Influx Press and nominated by Free Library of Philadelphia, USA

Paradais by Fernanda Melchor (Mexican)
Translated from Spanish by Sophie Hughes
Published by Fitzcarraldo Editions and nominated by Biblioteca Daniel Cosío Villegas, Mexico

Marzahn, Mon Amour by Katja Oskamp (German)
Translated from German by Jo Heinrich
Published by Peirene Press Ltd and nominated by Stadtbüchereien Düsseldorf, Germany

Love Novel by Ivana Sajko (Croatian)
Translated from Croatian by Mima Simić
Published by V&Q Books, Berlin and nominated by Rijeka City Library, Croatia

Em by Kim Thúy (Canadia-Vietnamese)
Translated from French by Sheila Fischman.
Published by Seven Stories Press UK and nominated by Hartford Public Library, USA

Remote Sympathy by Catherine Chidgey (New Zealander)
Published by Europa Editions and nominated by Auckland Libraries, New Zealand and Dunedin Public Libraries, New Zealand

Dublin City Librarian, Mairead Owens, praised the Award for breaking down barriers through literature by inviting readers around the world to read books translated from different languages, and cultures. 

Dublin City Librarian, Mairead Owens, thanked the libraries around the world who nominated titles this year, featuring a wealth of languages and from a myriad of cultures.

“Selecting six titles from such a strong longlist of 70 books is a challenge and I commend our judging panel for presenting us with such a diverse and interesting shortlist. We look forward to sharing these stories with our readers over the coming weeks and months. I encourage readers to explore the list and choose their favourite book before this year’s Dublin Literary Award winner is announced on 25th May. Happy Reading!”

Key Dates

The six member international judging panel, chaired by Prof. Chris Morash, will select one winner, which will be announced on Thursday 25th May during the International Literature Festival Dublin (ILFD) which runs from the 19th to the 28th May 2023 from Merrion Square Park in Dublin City.

Many of the novels nominated and shortlisted for the Award will be available for readers to borrow from Dublin City Libraries and from public libraries around Ireland, or can be borrowed as eBooks and eAudiobooks on the free Borrowbox app, available to all public library users. The shortlist can be viewed on the Award website at www.dublinliteraryaward.ie.

RELATED FEATURES

Video June 2 2023

Highlights from the 2023 Dublin Literary Award Ceremony

Katja Oskamp and translator Jo Heinrich win the prize for Marzahn, Mon Amour.
Video May 26 2023

2023 Award Winners in Conversation with Rick O’Shea

Author, Katja Oskamp and translator, Jo Heinrich in conversation.
Video May 25 2023

Flowers Say it Better, Love – A poem by Sarah Creighton Keogh

Commissioned for the 2023 Dublin Literary Award Ceremony.
Video May 21 2023

Eva-Jane Gaffney performs an excerpt from Em

Eva-Jane Gaffney performs an excerpt from Em

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