Eight Irish novels among 156 nominees for 2020 International Dublin Literary Award
Eight novels from Ireland are among 156 books nominated by libraries around the world for the 2020 International Dublin Literary Award. The €100,000 award is the world’s most valuable prize for a single work of fiction published in English.
Olga Tokarczuk and Peter Handke, the two latest winners of the Nobel Prize in Literature, are among those nominated by libraries from 40 countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, the US and Canada, South America, Australia and New Zealand. The book that received most nominations is There There by Native American debut author Tommy Orange.
Organised by Dublin City Council, the 2020 award was launched yesterday by Cllr Mary Fitzpatrick, representing Lord Mayor Paul McAuliffe, Patron of the Award. Cllr Fitzpatrick commended the award for its promotion of excellence in world literature and the opportunity it provides to promote Irish writing internationally.
“I am very pleased that Dublin City Council continues to support this significant international award,” she said.
Dublin is a UNESCO City of Literature and the Council is committed to further developing the City’s worldwide reputation as a literary destination, a key part of our cultural tourism offering.
The Irish titles nominated for the 2020 Award are:
- A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne
- Milkman by Anna Burns
- The Woman in the Woods by John Connolly
- Begotten Not Made by Cónal Creedon
- Orchid and the Wasp by Caoilinn Hughes
- Skin Deep by Liz Nugent
- Travelling in a Strange Land by David Park
- Normal People by Sally Rooney
The award is managed by Dublin City Council’s library service. Speaking of the global interest in the award, Mairead Owens, Dublin City Librarian said: “This great prize affirms Dublin’s commitment to international writers and translators, to literature and creativity. “
The shortlist will be published on April 2, 2020, and the winner will be announced on June 10, 2020.
