pontius_pilate_gavran
2007 Longlist

Pontius Pilate

artwork-image

ABOUT
THE BOOK

After the excellent reception from readers and domestic and foreign critics of the Novels ‘Judith’ (2001) and John the Baptist’ (2002), Miro Gavran has completed his biblical trilogy with the novel ‘Pontius Pilate’ (2004) , the intriguing confessions of the man who sentenced Christ to death. Following Pilate’s life from his early youth up until ten years after Christ’s crucifiction, Gavran speaks out on the moral and existential dilemmas characteristic to people who lack any spiritual points of reference. Transforming the tale about the callous governer into the story of a convert, Gavran applies an unusual literary procedure to confirm the view that no single human being is ever lost forever. A parallel motif in the novel is the subtly sketched relationship between Pontius and his wife. The novel is written in the first person, as narrated by Pontius Pilate himself.

ABOUT
THE AUTHOR Miro
Gavran

Miro Gavran is a contemporary Croatian writer. His works have been translated into thirty-five languages. Along with the collection of short stories Small Unusual People, he has written the novels Forgotten Son, How We Broke Our Legs, Clara, margita or journey through a Past Life, Judith, John the Baptist, Pontius Pilate, The Only Witness to Beauty and Kafka’s Friend. He has received some twenty literary and theatre awards, including the Central European Time Award, given to the best Central-European Time Award, given to the best Central – European writer, and the European Circle Award for affirmation of European values in literary texts.

Miro Gavran is a contemporary Croatian writer. His works have been translated into thirty-five languages. Along with the collection of short stories Small Unusual People, he has written the novels Forgotten Son, How We Broke Our Legs, Clara, margita or journey through a Past Life, Judith, John the Baptist, Pontius Pilate, The Only Witness to Beauty and Kafka’s Friend. He has received some twenty literary and theatre awards, including the Central European Time Award, given to the best Central-European Time Award, given to the best Central – European writer, and the European Circle Award for affirmation of European values in literary texts.

ABOUT
THE TRANSLATOR Laura
Gudim

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Country
Croatia
Original Language
Croatian
Author
Publisher
ITG
Translator
Laura Gudim

RELATED FEATURES

News May 23 2025

2025 Dublin Literary Award Winner Revealed

Discover this year's winner!
Video May 23 2025

2025 Dublin Literary Award Ceremony

2025 Dublin Literary Award Winner Ceremony live from the International Literature Festival Dublin.
Video May 23 2025

2019 Winner Emily Ruskovich

Dublin Literary Award Celebrating 30 Years Q&A
Video May 23 2025

2010 Winner Gerbrand Bakker

Dublin Literary Award Celebrating 30 Years Q&A

STAY CONNECTED

Stay in touch and sign up to our newsletter to receive all the latest news and updates on the Dublin Literary Award.