The price is unique in the German literary world: is Awarded to a Duo of author and Translator of an outstanding contemporary novel from Germany. We present the six nominees.
Argentina, Australia, France, Israel, Mexico and Serbia – as different as the countries of origin of the finalists are, so they convinced the Jury in its universal statement on current issues. And also its literary Form.
The selection of the seven members of the Jury agreed was “a Shortlist, which leads us into the distance, to the Mexican province, and to the Australian frontier country, in Serbia, the civil war years and the present, to Israel, and in the Poland of the Holocaust memorials. And to the furthest Interior, in the dungeons of memory, in the in-between realm, where the Die in the death, and then in the Empty passes.”
Not an easy Reading diet, these six writers, born between 1937 and 1982. The Jury pays tribute to all six of respect, it’s called the present novels “an inspiring tribute to the power of literature”.
Excellent Duo
Which of the works will be awarded at the conclusion of the International prize for literature, decides on the 18. June 2019 in Berlin. The prize will be awarded by the house of world cultures and the Foundation of the elementary particles already for the eleventh Time.
Pre can tap into lovers of literature in several Reading events in the American memorial library in Berlin-Kreuzberg the nominated novels.
The prestigious literary prize is endowed with 35,000 euros. 20,000 euros, goes to the author and 15,000 euros to the respective Translator. The inclusion of the Translator recognizes the significant performance, which is comparable to literature rates often. Here are the finalists with their work:
Hélène Cixous: My Homère is dead
From the French by Claudia Simma
In this very personal book, Hélène Cixous tells of the last difficult years of her mother, who was cared for until her death. Eve is 103 when she died – her daughter accompanied her on this arduous long journey. Time to hope, time of last breath, is supposedly close. The daughter of the Disappearance, the physical decay – in more poetic and expressive quoted-rich language. Hélène Cixous is considered to be a women’s rights activist and winner of the French national order of merit. The work in 1937 in Algeria-born author includes, in addition to novels, numerous Essays and plays.
Zoltán Danyi: The Carcass Scraper
From the Hungarian by Terézia Mora
The Yugoslav wars are long over, but a young man is stuck in his traumatic memories. His experience is not good or evil divide – he was both at the same time: the victim and the perpetrator. Zoltán Danyis novel is the monologue of a broken people, who witnessed looting and mass rape. The Protagonist belongs to – as well as the author of the Hungarian minority in present – day Serbia. The novel was written in the Hungarian language and with the renowned Miklós-Mészöly prize.
Ariana Harwicz: die, darling
From the Argentine Spanish by Dagmar Ploetz
The nameless Narrator has all the ingredients for a happy life – at least to the outside -: A man, a son, a child living in the country. Inside this is everything to her. She cheats on her husband with the neighbors, and has murder fantasies.
At the same time she longs to be a loving mother and wife. The novel was published in 2012 in Argentina and has been awarded by the local daily newspaper “La Nación” to the best Argentine book of the year. The English Translation was nominated in 2018 for the Man Booker International Prize.
Fernanda Melchor: season of the hurricanes
From the Mexican Spanish by Angelica Ammar
In the thick of a sugar cane plantation children find the corpse of a feared healer. For some villagers, a witch, a Satanist. The possible motives for Murder are strung together: jealousy, drug trafficking, or a hidden treasure? The 1982-born Fernanda Melchor is considered to be one of the most promising writers of Mexico. In “season of storms” portrays the heart of your home country is steeped in violence – particularly against women.
Gerald Murnane: Border Counties
Translated from English by Rainer G. Schmidt
It comes to an end – in his last years of life, an old man takes stock and draws in a border area in the Australian state of Victoria. Here he writes of a “report”, as he calls it: What are your impressions of life? The I-narrator of his inner images, and catalogued his innermost being, without knowing where it will lead. “Border districts” is the age of the work of Gerald Murnane was born in 1939 in Melbourne and Australia, where he is regarded as a great writer, has never left. Gerald Murnane was several times acted as a candidate for the Nobel prize for literature.
Yishai Sarid: Monster
From the Hebrew by Ruth Achlama
In a report to his boss, a young historian and Tour Guide describes his experiences with visitors to the Israeli memorial Yad Vashem and Nazi memorials in the former concentration camps Majdanek, Treblinka, and Auschwitz.
In these places of horror, he learns a question dealing with memorable for pupils and politicians: ignorance, self-infatuation, memory, kitsch, and exploitation. The Monster memory paired with the Monster of misguided remembering to tear the young historian and lead to a loss of control. Yishai Sarid lives and works as a lawyer in Tel Aviv. Since 2000, he is also as a writer.