Man Booker International Prize 2016 – Marie NDiaye Book of the week
Not one, not two… but three nominees for the French language!!!
Yes, three exclamation marks: one for each of our favourite writers featuring in this year’s longlist for the prestigious Man Booker International Prize, and… because that’s just how excited we are in the office since we learned the fantastic news!
So, who are they?
A couple of weeks ago, on Women’s Day, we were shedding light on French women writers in English translation. Two of them feature in the longlist: seems like they're gaining the recognition they deserve!
Marie NDiaye for Ladivine, translated by Jordan Stump and published by Maclehose Press. Marie NDiaye was only eighteen when her first work was out. She won numerous prizes already, and has been awarded for her outstanding literary contributions to the promotion of understanding between people. Ladivine is indeed a powerful story of secrets, guilt and forgiveness centred around three generations of women.
Maylis de Kerangal for Mend the Living, translated by Jessica Moore and published by Maclehose Press. Along with Marie NDiaye, Maylis de Kerangal is one of the most promising French authors of her generation. She was at the Institut Français on the 2nd of February 2015 to talk about Mend the Living, a breathless account of pulsating life and accidental death. Watch her read an excerpt:
Fiston Mwanza Mujila for Tram 83 translated by Roland Glasser and published by Jacaranda Books. Fiston Mwanza Mujila was born in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, and now lives in Graz, Austria. Tram 83, a vibrant tale of jazz, sex and corruption set in a volatile African city-state, is his debut novel.
133 novels, 13 selected “Booker Dozen”
This new prestigious prize is the result of a merger between the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize and the Man Booker International Prize: it now rewards both the translator and the author, making it even more exciting. We can't wait to discover the shortlist on 14th of April !