The announcement of the long list for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize is always an exciting time as for the last four years I’ve attempted to read all the books (though I haven’t yet succeeded). This year, privileged to be among the Shadow Jury, I have found myself experiencing new levels of anticipation. Luckily the wait is over and the chosen books have been revealed:
Juan Tomás Ávila Laurel, By Night the Mountain Burns (Spanish: trans. Jethro Soutar), And Other Stories
Tomas Bannerhed, The Ravens (Swedish: trans. Sarah Death), Clerkenwell Press
Jenny Erpenbeck, The End of Days (German: trans. Susan Bernofsky), Portobello Books
Marcello Fois, Bloodlines (Italian: trans. Silvester Mazzarella), MacLehose Press
Tomás González, In the Beginning Was the Sea (Spanish: trans. Frank Wynne), Pushkin Press
Hamid Ismailov, The Dead Lake (Russian: trans. Andrew Bromfield), Peirene Press
Daniel Kehlmann, F (German: trans. Carol Brown Janeway), Quercus
Karl Ove Knausgaard, Boyhood Island (Norwegian: trans. Don Bartlett), Harvill Secker
J.M. Lee, The Investigation (Korean: trans. Chi-Young Kim), Mantle
Erwin Mortier, While the Gods Were Sleeping (Dutch: trans. Paul Vincent), Pushkin Press
Haruki Murakami, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage (Japanese: trans. Philip Gabriel), Harvill Secker
Judith Schalansky, The Giraffe’s Neck (German: trans. Shaun Whiteside), Bloomsbury
Stefanie de Velasco, Tiger Milk (German: trans. Tim Mohr), Head of Zeus
Timur Vermes, Look Who’s Back (German: trans. Jamie Bulloch), MacLehose Press
Can Xue, The Last Lover (Chinese: trans. Annelise Finegan), Yale University Press
While there are some surprising omissions (Mathias Enard, Elena Ferrante, Andres Neuman) and once again my favourite Peirene title has had its place taken by another, I must admit I probably would have been more disappointed if the long list had simply reflected my own tastes. Much of the enjoyment over the last few years has been in the discovery of new authors, and hopefully that will prove to be the case this time. Once again, having read five of the books, I hope to read the other ten before both the Shadow Jury and more substantial one decide on their short list.
1streading's Blog 
March 19, 2015 at 3:45 pm |
I have just finished The End of Days, and I’m quite impressed by it. You’ve read many more than I have, but I hope to catch up over Spring Break at the end of March. I’ll be a reading maniac! Good to be on the journey with you.
March 21, 2015 at 1:07 pm |
Yes, I’m thoroughly enjoying being part of a group reading through the list, though I’m nervous of reading reviews of titles I haven’t read as I don’t want to prejudice my views! Everyone seems to have been positive about The End of Days, though.
March 21, 2015 at 2:41 pm
Yes, it’s important to come to the book with a “clean slate”. That’s what I do in my classroom, too. I refuse to look at children’s files until I know them personally. Who knows what last year’s battle ax might say? 😉
March 24, 2015 at 8:36 pm |
I’ve just got four left now to read
March 24, 2015 at 8:48 pm |
Still got six but trying my best!
March 24, 2015 at 9:04 pm
I think it’s a better overall list than last year still not great