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Books that made to the Man Booker International Prize longlist 2019

TNN | Last updated on - Mar 14, 2019, 18:42 IST

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The Man Booker International Prize

The Man Booker International Prize is given to the translated books only so as to, "encourage more publishing and reading of quality fiction in translation". To be eligible for the prize, the book has to be a work of fiction, translated into English and published in the UK. Both novels and collections of short stories are eligible. The prize just announced their 2019 longlist and the books are a good addition to any reader's to-read list. The books are sourced from publishers big and small all over the world and the stories give insight into literature and lives from places other than ours. Here is the longlist for 2019-

Photo: themanbookerprize.com

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'Celestial Bodies' by Jokha Alharthi

Set in the village of al-Awafi in Oman, this book tells the story of three sisters whose life and marriage decisions take them down different paths through a changing Oman. Through their lives we see Oman gradually shed its colonial past. This book was translated from Omani by Marilyn Booth.
Photo: Sandstone Press Ltd

3/14

'Love In The New Millennium' by Can Xue

This book contains a collection of stories of different women. The story is set in a big city in China and shows us the lives people lead there and how love has changed over the years. This book was translated from Chinese by Annelise Finegan Wasmoen.
Photo: Yale University Press

4/14

'The Years' by Annie Ernaux

This story is a personal narrative of the period 1941 to 2006. Annie Ernaux is a bestselling French author and this book is a dreamy musing memoir. It's told using memory, language, photos, songs, headlines and advertisements in a unique format that gives one a rounded view of how life goes on. This book was translated from French by Alison L. Strayer
Photo: Fitzcarraldo Editions

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'At Dusk' by Hwang Sok-yong

Set in Seoul, this book tells the story of Park Minwoo, a man who rose from poverty and is now the director of an architectural firm. However one day a call from the past makes him question his life decisions. This book explores the effects of Modernisation on the life of an individual. The book was translated from Korean by Sora Kim-Russell.
Photo: Scribe Publications

6/14

'Jokes For The Gunmen' by Mazen Maarouf

This book is a collection of short stories which looks at the parts of life considered adult- like war, death or even sex from a fresh childlike perspective. This humourous book was translated from Icelandic and Palestinian by Jonathan Wright.
Photo: Granta Books

7/14

'Four Soldiers' by Hubert Mingarelli

The book, as the title suggests, tells the tale of four soldiers. The story is set in 1919 and the soldiers are a part of the Red Army during the Russian civil war. This book was translated from French by Sam Taylor.
Photo: Granta Books

8/14

'The Pine Islands' by Marion Poschmann

Translated from German by Jen Calleja and winner of the Berlin Prize for Literature, this book is surprisingly set in Japan! The story follows a man called Gilbert Silvester who travels to Tokyo with no forethought and then decides to go on a pilgrimage. He meets another pilgrim along the way and lessons they learn as they journey towards their destination makes for a profound read.
Photo: Serpent's Tail

9/14

'Mouthful Of Birds' by Samanta Schweblin

This book is a collection of short stories that make one question the way we see life. Ghostly and sometimes slightly grotesque the tales can alter one’s perception of reality. This book was translated from Argentine and Italian by Megan McDowell.
Photo: Riverhead Books

10/14

'The Faculty Of Dreams' by Sara Stridsberg

This fascinating book takes us into the mind of Valerie Solanas, the writer who attempted to assassinate Andy Warhol. The author takes us through her life, from childhood to the hotel room where she was found dead. The author captures the tale in conversations, reminiscences monologues and rantings. The story was translated from Swedish by Deborah Bragan-Turner.
Photo: Quercus Books

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'Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead' by Olga Tokarczuk

Olga Tokarczuk won the Man Booker International prize in 2018, for her book 'Flights' which was translated by Jennifer Croft. 'Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead' is an interesting murder mystery. The protagonist is a recluse but when her neighbour dies, she's determined to investigate. The book beautifully explores madness and justice. It was translated from Polish by Antonia Lloyd-Jones.
Photo: Fitzcarraldo Editions

12/14

'The Shape Of The Ruins' by Juan Gabriel Vásquez

Translated from Colombian by Anne McLean, this book looks at assassinations, obsessive behaviour and conspiracy theories through two political assassinations from Columbia’s history.
Photo: MacLehose Press

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'The Death Of Murat Idrissi' by Tommy Wieringa

This haunting book tells the tale of two friends from Rotterdam who went for a holiday in Morocco. On their way home they befriend some young men who lead them into a terrible situation and now they're stranded in a foreign country. The story was translated from Dutch by Sam Garrett.
Photo: Scribe Publications

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'The Remainder' by Alia Trabucco Zeran

This sadly beautiful book is about three children, though now grown up, who were greatly affected by all the violence they had to witness growing up. Set in Santiago, Chile we see how some things we witness affect us strongly. The book was translated from Chilean and Italian by Sophie Hughes.
Photo: And Other Stories

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