Man Booker International Prize 2019: Shortlist announced featuring nearly all female authors and translators
Marion Poschmann, Juan Gabriel Vásquez and Alia Trabucco Zerán round out the list
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Man Booker International Prize shortlist has been unveiled, featuring six authors writing in five languages.
Annie Ernaux, Olga Tokarczuk, Jokha Alharthi, Marion Poschmann, Juan Gabriel Vásquez and Alia Trabucco Zerán are all in the running for the prize.
This year’s shortlist highlights the works of five female authors, as well as an all-female list of translators, originally published in Arabic, French, German, Polish and Spanish.
Ernaux, from France, is shortlisted for her acclaimed memoir The Years. Omani author Alharthi is in the running with Celestial Bodies, which tells the stories of three sisters in the village of al-Awafi in Oman.
Tokarczuk, the Polish winner of last year’s prize, is shortlisted this time for Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead, a thriller in which a woman investigates a string of murders.
Poschmann, of Germany, secures her spot on the list with The Pine Islands, about a man who leaves his wife to abruptly embark on a journey in Japan.
Vásquez, from Colombia, earned his place on the shortlist with The Shape of the Ruins, a tale of political conspiracy and assassinations that begins with the arrest of a man after he tries to steal a murdered politician’s suit from a museum.
Zerán, from Chile, is shortlisted for The Remainder, set in Santiago in the aftermath of the military dictatorship.
The Man Booker International Prize, which celebrates “the finest works of translated fiction from around the world”, comes with a £50,000 ($65,000) prize for the winning book, to be divided between the author and the translator.
The winner of the 2019 prize will be announced on 21 May in London during a formal dinner.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments