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International Booker Prize 2023 shortlisted books
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Reading guides

Discover our reading guides for the International Booker Prize 2023 shortlist

Whether you’re new to the books or would like to explore them more deeply, our guides are packed with insights from critics, judges, authors and translators, as well as discussion points and suggestions for further reading
 

Publication date and time: Published April 24, 2023
Boulder

Reading guide: Boulder by Eva Baltasar, translated by Julia Sanches

Whale

Reading guide: Whale by Cheon Myeong-kwan, translated by Chi-Young Kim

The Gospel According to the New World

Reading guide: The Gospel According to The New Word by Maryse Condé, translated by Richard Philcox

Standing Heavy

Reading guide: Standing Heavy by GauZ’, translated by Frank Wynne

Time Shelter

Reading guide: Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov, translated by Angela Rodel

Still Born

Reading guide: Still Born by Guadalupe Nettel, translated by Rosalind Harvey

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Quiz: which book from the International Booker Prize 2023 longlist should you read?

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Extracts from the International Booker Prize 2023 longlist

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Nine Booker-nominated novels featuring strong female friendships
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11 Booker-nominated books that reimagine classic works and ancient texts

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Quiz

Summer holiday quiz: 30 questions to test your Booker Prizes knowledge
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12 of the best Booker-nominated books by Latin American authors
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Podcast

The Booker Prize Podcast, Episode 29: Three short Booker books you can read in a weekend
Georgi Gospodinov, author of Time Shelter, shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2023

First person

Georgi Gospodinov's Time Shelter playlist: the prize-winning novel in 12 songs
Author Georgi Gospodinov hugs translator Angela Rodel after winning the International Booker Prize 2023 for the novelTime Shelter

Information

What Georgi Gospodinov and Angela Rodel said after winning the International Booker Prize
Author Georgi Gospodinov with translator Angela Rodel after winning the International Booker Prize 2023

Long read

What everybody is saying about Time Shelter winning the International Booker Prize
Translator Angela Rodel with author Georgi Gospodinov, winners of the International Booker Prize 2023 for the novel Time Shelter

Information

Everything you need to know about Time Shelter, winner of the International Booker Prize 2023
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Interview

‘Spinning an illusion’: what exactly do literary translators do?
International Booker Prize 2023 shortlisted books

Video

Watch our video Q&As with the International Booker Prize 2023 shortlistees
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Video

Watch performers read from the International Booker Prize 2023 shortlist
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Competition

Join the winners of the International Booker Prize for a live Q&A and special film screening
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Competition

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International Booker Prize 2023 shortlisted books

Quiz

International Booker Prize 2023: take our shortlist trivia quiz
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Book recommendations

32 books that have inspired the International Booker Prize 2023 shortlistees
International Booker Prize 2023 shortlisted books

Interview

Read our interviews with the International Booker Prize 2023 shortlistees
Time Shelter

Reading guides

Reading guide: Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov, translated by Angela Rodel
The Gospel According to the New World

Reading guides

Reading guide: The Gospel According to The New Word by Maryse Condé, translated by Richard Philcox
Still Born

Reading guides

Reading guide: Still Born by Guadalupe Nettel, translated by Rosalind Harvey

Whale

Reading guides

Reading guide: Whale by Cheon Myeong-kwan, translated by Chi-Young Kim
Boulder

Reading guides

Reading guide: Boulder by Eva Baltasar, translated by Julia Sanches
Standing Heavy

Reading guides

Reading guide: Standing Heavy by GauZ’, translated by Frank Wynne
International Booker Prize 2023 shortlisted books

Competition

Win a set of all six books from the International Booker Prize 2023 shortlist
Julia Sanches

Interview

Julia Sanches interview: 'The mythical English reader is just that, a myth'
Rosalind Harvey

Interview

Rosalind Harvey interview: 'The separation of translated fiction from so-called original fiction is false'
Richard Philcox

Interview

Richard Philcox interview: ‘A translation can be a work of literature on its own’

Eva Baltasar

Interview

Eva Baltasar interview: 'I wrote three versions of Boulder and deleted two'
Frank Wynne

Interview

Frank Wynne interview: 'Literature in translation is a powerful way of fostering empathy'
Chi-Young Kim

Interview

Chi-Young Kim interview: ‘The characters in Whale felt so familiar to me’

Guadalupe Nettel

Interview

Guadalupe Nettel interview: 'Many demands weigh on mothers'
Cheon Myeong-kwan

Interview

Cheon Myeong-kwan interview: ‘Whale is still a propulsive force in my life'
GauZ'

Interview

GauZ' interview: 'Africans never abandon laughter, no matter how serious the situation'
Angela Rodel

Interview

Angela Rodel interview: ‘Translators don’t play second fiddle to authors, it’s like a duet’

Georgi Gospodinov

Interview

Georgi Gospodinov interview: ‘I felt something had gone awry in the clockworks of time'
Maryse Conde

Interview

Maryse Condé interview: ‘After losing my vision, I wrote each chapter in my head’

International Booker Prize judges 2023

Book recommendations

Information

Why you should read the International Booker Prize 2023 shortlist, according to our judges
International Booker Prize 2023 shortlisted books

Information

Six things you need to know about the International Booker Prize 2023 shortlist
International Booker Prize longlist 2023

Interview

Opinion

Why we should celebrate translated fiction, according to our longlistees
International Booker Prize 2023 longlist books

Interview

Interviews with the International Booker Prize 2023 longlistees
International Booker Prize 2023 longlist books

Quiz

Book recommendations

Quiz: which book from the International Booker Prize 2023 longlist should you read?
The Gospel According to the New World

Book extract

An extract from The Gospel According to the New World by Maryse Condé, translated by Richard Philcox

Still Born

Book extract

An extract from Still Born by Guadalupe Nettel, translated by Rosalind Harvey
Whale

Book extract

An extract from Whale by Cheon Myeong-kwan, translated by Chi-Young Kim
Standing Heavy

Book extract

An extract from Standing Heavy by GauZ', translated by Frank Wynne
Boulder

Book extract

An extract from Boulder by Eva Baltasar, translated by Julia Sanches
International Booker Prize longlist 2023

Competition

Win a set of all 13 books on the International Booker Prize 2023 longlist
International Booker Prize judges 2023

Information

International Booker Prize 2023: what our judges said about the longlist
International Booker Prize longlist 2023

Information

The International Booker Prize 2023 longlist: 13 things you need to know
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Book recommendations

A Booker Prize reading list for Black History Month
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