ondjakitransparent
2020 Longlist

Transparent City

Translated from the Portuguese by Stephen Henighan
artwork-image

ABOUT
THE BOOK

In a crumbling apartment block in the Angolan city of Luanda, families work, laugh, scheme, and get by. In the middle of it all is the melancholic Odonato, nostalgic for the country of his youth and searching for his lost son. As his hope drains away and as the city outside his doors changes beyond all recognition, Odonato’s flesh becomes transparent and his body increasingly weightless.

A captivating blend of magical realism, scathing political satire, tender comedy, and literary experimentation, Transparent City offers a gripping and joyful portrait of urban Africa quite unlike any before yet published in English.

 

ABOUT
THE AUTHOR Ondjaki

Ondjaki is the pen name for writer Ndalu de Almeida. He was born in Luanda, Angola and is the award-winning author of five novels, four short-story collections, numerous books of poems and stories for children. His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. The Guardian named him one of its Top Five African Writers.

Ondjaki is the pen name for writer Ndalu de Almeida. He was born in Luanda, Angola and is the award-winning author of five novels, four short-story collections, numerous books of poems and stories for children. His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. The Guardian named him one of its Top Five African Writers.

ABOUT
THE TRANSLATOR Stephen
Henighan

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Country
Angola
Original Language
Portuguese
Author
Publisher
Biblioasis
Translator
Stephen Henighan
Translation
Translated from the Portuguese by Stephen Henighan

RELATED FEATURES

News January 15 2025

2025 Longlist Revealed

Novels by seven Irish authors are among the 71 books nominated by 83 libraries around the world!
News November 19 2024

2025 Dublin Literary Award Judges Announced

Meet our judging panel for 2025 Dublin Literary Award
Video November 1 2024

2024 Dublin Literary Award Ceremony

2024 Dublin Literary Award Ceremony announcement live-streamed from the International Literature Festival Dublin.
Audio June 11 2024

All About Books Podcast Features the 2024 Dublin Literary Award

Dublin City FM podcaster Katy Conneely spotlights the award.

STAY CONNECTED

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