I haven’t featured this award before, but I’m intrigued because it’s an award where nominations are made not by publishers, but by libraries from around the world, based on their perception of literary merit, so it brings a truly international flavour from a strong readership based group. It is interesting to see both the familiar and unfamiliar among them, a representation of what is being read around the world in English.
Novels From 30 Countries Across 10 Languages
Only four novels from Ireland are among the 49 books nominated by libraries around the world and the award is generously sponsored by Dublin City Council. Full details of the nominated titles, including the name of the library who nominated the book and the reason why they chose it, can be viewed here on the website.
Personally, I have read six of these, When All is Said by Anne Griffin (Ireland), The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins (UK), Aue by Becky Manawatu (NZ), The Yield by Tara June Winch (Australia) and On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (US) and The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (US).
Now in its 26th year, this award is the world’s most valuable annual prize for a single work of fiction published in English, worth €100,000 to the winner. Titles are nominated on the basis of ‘high literary merit’ as determined by the nominating library. You can see where the participating libraries are located on this map. Three new nominating libraries were welcomed this year: Slemani Public Library in Iraq, South Dublin Libraries in Ireland, and District of Columbia Public Library in USA.
A Third Are Novels in Translation
Nominations include 18 novels in translation with works nominated by libraries from 30 countries across Africa, Europe, Asia, the US & Canada, South America and Australia & New Zealand. If the winning book has been translated, the author receives €75,000 and the translator receives €25,000.
The international panel of judges who will select the winner, features Jan Carson, a writer and community arts facilitator based in Belfast; David James Karashima, an author, translator, and associate professor of creative writing at Waseda University in Tokyo; Lebanese-born, Dr Rita Sakr who lectures in Postcolonial and Global Literatures at Maynooth University; Dr Martín Veiga, a Cork-based Galician poet, translator, and academic who lectures in Hispanic Studies at University College Cork, and Enda Wyley, an Irish poet, author, and teacher who has published six collections of poetry.
They will narrow these nominations down to a shortlist of 10 titles announced on 25 March and the winner will be announced in June 2021.
A Free Reading App for Library Users
During Level 5 COVID-19 restrictions, readers can borrow some of the long listed titles as eBooks and eAudiobooks on the free Borrowbox app, available to all public library users.
Have you heard of or used Borrowbox?
The Irish are so keen to get people reading they even have an Ireland Reads Day on February 25 and they invite readers to make a pledge!
Word by Word 
One of my favourite prizes! It never fails to deliver an interesting list to explore.
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It is an interesting one indeed, so many new titles to check out, while thinking of them bring read around the world.
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I’d not come across this before. it looks interesting – thanks!
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I was aware of it but I hadn’t realised it was an award that recognises the contribution of librarians and their great reading audience.
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My favorite literary award. I too love that libraries across the world come up with the nominations and there’s that combination of known and unknown. Plus the extensive list of books, it’s too bad that there are fewer nominations this year because of you-know-what. But I love going back to the Long Lists from previous years and finding books I’ve not read but look interesting. They also have great interviews connected to the award and other programs. Bless ’em.
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Yes, I did note that last year there were about 150 nominations! That’s some reading for the judges. It’s great to have the archive there for reference too. Bless ’em indeed.
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I’ve read several of those named. It will be interesting to see which survive to the end.
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Yes, I’ve enjoyed looking through the unfamiliar titles, it’s so interesting to see what’s popular elsewhere in the world.
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I always find it an interesting list to peruse, a fascinating mix of high-profile titles and the less familiar. The diversity seems a big part of its appeal!
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Yes that’s exactly what I noticed, the almost predictable high flyers and then the curious, quieter works that have been gaining traction in libraries, read and recommended by readers who operate in the margins, conversations at library check out desks, books that don’t need the media machine, that have their own inner force to rise above with. I just love delving into what those titles are and knowing they’re being read and appreciated elsewhere. And all those translations, wonderful to see.
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Yes, precisely. And for the high flyers, it gives an additional degree of endorsement, a sense of reassurance that these books have genuinely lived up to the hype!
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