Six novels have been shortlisted for the 2023 Dublin Literary Award, sponsored by Dublin City Council, which awards excellence in world literature. 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, from Croatian, French, Spanish, and German. The shortlist features authors who are American, Mexican, German, Croatian, and Canadian-Vietnamese.
The 28th winner of the Dublin Literary Award will be announced by its Patron, Lord Mayor Caroline Conroy on Thursday 25th May, as part of International Literature Festival Dublin (ILFD), which is also funded by Dublin City Council.
The shortlisted titles are:
- Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (American). Published by Scribner/4th Nominated by Katona József Library of Bács-Kiskun County, Hungary.
Watch an extract performed by Rex Ryan – https://youtu.be/IJGwaqBA-KE
- The Trees by Percival Everett (American). Published by Graywolf Press (US) and Influx Press (UK). Nominated by Free Library of Philadelphia, USA.
Watch an extract performed by Loré Adewusi – https://youtu.be/FIefymnALCE
- Paradais by Fernanda Melchor (Mexican) translated from Spanish by Sophie Hughes. Published by Fitzcarraldo Editions. Nominated by Biblioteca Daniel Cosío Villegas, Mexico.
Watch an extract performed by Rex Ryan – https://youtu.be/ou9mChzuaVo
- Marzahn, Mon Amour by Katja Oskamp (German) translated from German by Jo Heinrich. Published by Peirene Press. Nominated by Stadtbüchereien Düsseldorf, Germany.
Watch an extract performed by Aenne Barr – https://youtu.be/Gh5OjuKMRXQ
- Love Novel by Ivana Sajko (Croatian) translated from Croatian by Mima Simić. Published by V&Q Books. Nominated by Rijeka City Library, Croatia.
Watch an extract performed by Ignacy Rybarczyk – https://youtu.be/2i9AyULsdK4
- Em by Kim Thúy (Canadian-Vietnamese) translated from French by Sheila Fischman. Published by Seven Stories Press. Nominated by Hartford Public Library, USA.
Watch an extract performed by Eva-Jane Gaffney – https://youtu.be/1ChU_p7w2Hk
Read some thoughts from the judging panel on the shortlist HERE
The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy said:
The titles on this year’s shortlist were nominated by public libraries in Hungary, Germany, Croatia, Mexico and the USA. The beauty of this award is that it highlights authors and readers worldwide while celebrating excellence in contemporary literature. The 2023 winner will be chosen from this fascinating shortlist, which includes four novels in translation, and covers a myriad of topics including the power of books, racially-inspired hate crimes, relationships, ageing, toxic masculinity, the impact of war, and spans many settings and time periods.
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!
The international panel of judges who have selected the shortlist and will select the winner, features Gabriel Gbadamosi who is an Irish and Nigerian poet, playwright and critic based in London; Marie Hermet who is a writer and translator who teaches creative writing and translation at the Université Paris Cité; English writer Sarah Moss who is the author of eight novels and now teaches on the MA and MFA in creative writing at UCD; Doireann Ní Ghríofa who is a bilingual poet, essayist and translator from Co. Clare; and Arunava Sinha who translates fiction, non-fiction and poetry from Bengali to English and from English to Bengali and has won several translation awards in India.
The non-voting Chairperson is Professor Chris Morash, the Seamus Heaney Professor of Irish Writing at Trinity College Dublin.
The six member international judging panel, chaired by Prof. Chris Morash, will select one winner, which will be announced by the Patron of the Award, Lord Mayor of Dublin Caroline Conroy on Thursday 25th May during the International Literature Festival Dublin (ILFD) which runs from the 19th to the 28th May 2023 in Merrion Square.
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 some as 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.
