The International Booker Prize is a British literary award created in 2004, with the first award being given in 2005. During its first decade, it was awarded every two years to a living author in recognition of their entire literary career. For this purpose, I will choose just one book written by the author who won the prize. Since 2016, however, the format has changed and the prize has been awarded annually for a single work of fiction translated into English. The £50,000 prize is shared equally between the author and the translator. I find this aspect of the prize particularly appealing, as it explicitly acknowledges the translator’s contribution – something that happens too rarely in the world of literary prizes.
Books read
Nominations 2005-2015
2005 : Ismael Kadare –
Qui a ramené Doruntine ?
2011 : Philippe Roth –
Deception
Nominations 2016 – present
2016 :
The Vegetarian – Han Kang / Deborah Smith
2018 :
Flights – Olga Tockarczuk
Books to read
Nominations 2005-2015
2007 : Chinua Achebe
2009 : Alice Munro
2013 : Lydia Davis
2015 : Lázló Krasznohorkai
Nominations 2016 – present
2017 : A Horse Walks into a Bar – David Grossman / Jessica Cohen
2019 : Celestial Bodies – Jokha Alharthi / Marilyn Booth
2020 : The Discomfort of Evening – Lucas Rijnevald / Michele Hutchinson
2021 : At Night All Blood is Black – David Diop / Anna Mschovakis
2022 : Tomb of Sand – Geetanjali Shree / Daisy Rokwell
2023 : Time Schelter – Georgi Gospodinov / Angela Rodel
2024 : Kairos – Jenny Erpenbeck / Michael Hofmann
2025 : Heart Lamp – Banu Mushtaq / Deepa Bhashti