Nominees for the book awards confront uncertainty in the literary world
The longlist for the prestigious German Book Prize, one of the most renowned literary awards in the country, has been announced. The list brings together twenty different titles, each offering a unique perspective on contemporary issues.
Among the authors represented are well-known names such as Feridun Zaimoglu, Nava Ebrahimi, and Peter Wawerzinek. Zaimoglu's novel, "Son Without Father", tells the story of a grieving son and a journey to Turkey, while Ebrahimi's "And Feathers Everywhere" is a mix of serial storytelling and societal satire centered around a chicken slaughterhouse. Wawerzinek's "See Rome and Not Die" delves into human transience after a cancer diagnosis, but also explores love and strength for healing.
The longlist reflects the diversity of the current reality, with novels that tackle a wide range of themes. These include school shootings, the Ukraine war, the death of a father, identity, origin, belonging, family, dark and heavy themes, humor, wit, and different writing styles and unique voices. For instance, Kathrin Bach's debut novel, "Life Insurance", is a tragicomic family history set in the West German provinces of the 1990s, while Kaleb Erdmann's "The Detour School" approaches the school shooting topic from a personal perspective, as the author experienced the event as a child.
Jacinta Nandi's "Single Mom Supper Club" uses black, radical humor to highlight societal issues faced by single mothers, and Jina Khayyer's debut novel, "In the Heart of the Cat", tells the story of a child of refugees from Kosovo. Jehona Kicaj's "e" also focuses on the upbringing of a child of refugees from Kosovo and has won the literature prize of the city of Hannover (HANNA).
Eight of the authors on the longlist are women, and the jury, led by spokesperson Laura de Weck, was guided by language design, narrative behavior, and the frightening present in their selection process. De Weck also stated that while it's important to worry about the future, we should not worry about the future of literature.
The winner of the prize will receive 25,000 Euros, with the other shortlisted authors each receiving 2,500 Euros. The shortlist will be revealed on September 16, and the winner will be announced on October 13, the day before the Frankfurt Book Fair. The author who is represented with the book "e" on the longlist and additionally won the Literature Prize of the City of Hanover is yet to be explicitly named.
The German Book Prize continues to be a platform for literary excellence and a reflection of the times, showcasing the rich tapestry of stories and voices that make up the German literary landscape.
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