2013 International IMPAC DUBLIN Literary Award shortlist

[AncalagonTheBlack]

Ten novels have been shortlisted for the 2013 International IMPAC DUBLIN Literary Award.

The list includes City of Bohane by Irish author, Kevin Barry, five novels in translation (from Japan, Iceland, Norway, The Netherlands and France); one British and three American novels.

The shortlisted titles, announced by The Lord Mayor of Dublin Councillor Naoise Ó Muirí, Patron of the Award, in Dublin on 9th April are:

• City of Bohane by Kevin Barry (Irish) (First novel) Published by Johathan Cape
  
  
• The Map and the Territory by Michel Houellebecq (French) Translated from the original French by Gavin Bowd. Published by William Heineman
  
  
• Pure by Andrew Miller (British) Published by Sceptre
  
  
• 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami (Japanese) Translated from the original Japanese by Jay Rubin and Philip Gabriel. Published by Harvill Secker and Alfred A. Knopf
  
  
• The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka (Japanese American) Published by Alfred A. Knopf
  
  
• The Tragedy of Arthur by Arthur Phillips (American) Published by Random House Inc.
  
  
• Swamplandia! by Karen Russell (American) Published by Alfred A. Knopf
  
  
• From the Mouth of the Whale by Sjón (Icelandic) Translated from the original Icelandic by Victoria Cribb. Published by Telegram Books.
  
  
• The Faster I Walk, The Smaller I Am by Kjersti Skomsvold (Norwegian) (First novel) Translated from the original Norwegian by Kerri A. Pierce. Published by Dalkey Archive Press
  
  
• Caesarion by Tommy Wieringa (Dutch) Translated from the original Dutch by Sam Garrett. Published by Portobello Books
  

http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/news/ten-books-in-the-running-for-the-2013-award-shortlist-announced/

[Deedles]

I really like the IMPAC prize. The long list is compiled by votes from international libraries so it is reflective of what people are actually reading. I usually buy a few from the long list and maybe one or two from the short.

I have IQ84 actually but as it's in hardback I'd put off reading it.

I think Larry and Skunkbelly liked Swamplandia

[Larry.]

Yes, I liked Swamplandia!, although I thought the middle portions of the novel were weaker in terms of structure and execution.

I've read 6/10 of this list and I loved it when I saw it around a week ago.

Barry: very solid

Miller: very good

Murakami: not his best work, but I did enjoy this one quite a bit

Otsuka: It was one of my favorite 2011 releases and I reviewed it before it won the 2011 National Book Award for Young People's Literature

Russell: see above

Sjón: very good; planning on re-reading/reviewing it in the near future.

[Lord Toblerone]

I like the sound of "From the Mouth of the Whale".

"The Faster I walk, the smaller I am" has actually been read on Irish radio. So I heard a little bit of that one.