International Booker Prize 2024: what our judges said about the longlist
Wondering which of the 13 International Booker Prize 2024 longlisted titles to read first? We asked our judges to summarise each book – and say what they loved about them
What the International Booker Prize Reading Challenge Ambassadors learned reading the 2024 longlist
The librarians and booksellers taking part in our first Reading Challenge tell us what they enjoyed most about reading this year’s best in translated fiction – and who they’re tipping to win
Read more about the International Booker Prize 2024 Reading Challenge here.
Marianna Datsenko, librarian at Lewisham Library, South East London
Tell us about your experience of being a Reading Challenge Ambassador. What did you enjoy most about the challenge, and how many books did you manage to read?
Being a Reading Challenge Ambassador for the International Booker Prize has been an amazingly rewarding and exciting experience. Aside from the opportunity to push myself and read the entire longlist, the role encouraged those around me to become more keenly interested in translated fiction. In turn, this created an extended platform in our libraries to discuss and reflect on our reading choices. The new exchanges with users and colleagues have been genuinely moving and led to many spontaneous moments of connection and conversation stemming from translated fiction, and reaching points of contact between languages, issues with working with translated fiction, and intercultural identity and its collective benefits. The challenge has left a clear legacy across our libraries with an increase of translated fiction being introduced and a more conscious review of what is being provided as reading material, to respond and enrich our communities’ demand. Our library users are already more aware of translated fiction and show a welcome interest in reading more, which is fantastic to see.
I did complete the entire longlist but I paced myself, as I wanted to savour the reading experience, and give each work its own moment without any rush. I think that reading should remain enjoyable and – wherever possible – focus and time should be given for reflection, to allow the story to sink in before moving on to the next read.
The Reading Challenge aims to connect readers, both locally and across the world, with the world’s best fiction in translation. How did your library customers take part in the Reading Challenge?
The Booker Prize Foundation and The Reading Agency, thanks to sponsorship from Maison Valentino, kindly sent us a set of the entire shortlist for each of the libraries in the London Borough of Lewisham. This extended participation in the Reading Challenge through book group discussions and extended displays, which meant that even more copies got into the hands of our curious readers.
Since the beginning of the Reading Challenge, Lewisham Libraries created several opportunities for our readers to engage with translated fiction and translation. Library colleagues organised creative activities for children to encourage exploring a foreign language and used translation as a theme to engage younger readers and spark their interest in reading across languages. We also contacted local publishers and hosted a panel discussion with Fitzcarraldo Editions, Pamenar Press, and Prototype Publishing to expand on the topic of works in translation and the role of independent publishers in the literary sphere.
Marianna Datsenko, librarian at Lewisham Library, South East London
The new exchanges with users and colleagues have been genuinely moving and led to many spontaneous moments of connection and conversation stemming from translated fiction
— Marianna Datsenko, librarian at Lewisham Library, South East London
The International Booker Prize aims to recognise the translator, equally, alongside the author of each book. Did being an Ambassador for the Reading Challenge allow you any appreciation for the work of the translators of translated fiction? Why do you think they deserve a spotlight, too?
Any work in translation also highlights the outstanding level of skills exhibited by translators which is required to produce a text that both reflects its original linguistic and cultural richness and meaning, without sacrificing readability. Translation may be an incredibly underrated craft which demands a comprehensive cross-cultural understanding to thoroughly engage and bring joy to a new audience.
There are so many outstanding examples of this effort – from the Translators’ Note by Sora Kim-Russell and Youngjae Josephine Bae for Mater 2-10 ruminating on translating Korean name meanings and titles, to Ia Genberg’s comment from the International Booker Q&A series, regarding working with the translator Kira Josefsson to understand the cultural significance of translating the ‘illegal’ alcohol still present in Swedish culture, to Selva Almada’s thoughts on how to render the specific building material chapas de ondalí with no direct English translation with the help of Annie McDermott. On the other hand, we, as the reader, put total trust into the hands of the translator, who grants us access to a literary work which necessitates mediation across author, translator, and text. It is interesting to experience how translators have applied their own lens to a given work, bringing a unique reading experience to an existing story, choosing which cultural and linguistic aspects to transfer and which to try and interpret, always providing a cohesive whole to the unique experience of the reader.
Which book did you enjoy the most from the International Booker Prize 2024 longlist, and why?
This year’s longlist presented some very strong contenders, and it was no easy feat to unequivocally choose just one. However, I do have to say that I was blown away by Jente Posthuma’s writing in What I’d Rather Not Think About. This work felt fundamentally personal and autobiographical, and her depiction of loss was movingly raw and realistic. The challenges of losing a loved one and reckoning with being the individual left behind really shone for me through the playful form of compact vignettes balanced by craftily placed moments of humour. I was thrilled to read in the Q&A interview that Posthuma praised the translator Sarah Timmer Harvey for doing an impeccable job at representing the text in English, as I found the rendering mesmerising and skillfully done.
And which book would you tip to win?
The shortlist exhibits so much variety that it is difficult to pit them against each other! Every book featured is deserving of the accolade, carrying its own merit, and needing to be read and celebrated.
Having said that, both Kairos and Crooked Plow seem to be firm favourites among readers for their narratives spanning entire lifetimes and encompassing so much human experience. The judges have a difficult decision to make, and I look forward to seeing who is chosen as this year’s winner.
What did you gain from the experience of reading this year’s best in translated fiction and why would you recommend reading TF to all readers?
This year’s selection featured a diverse range of stories, voices, settings, time periods, themes, forms, and cultural and linguistic elements. As a reader, I was able to enjoy engrossing storytelling and explore strong motifs touching on historical, political, and ethical questions while being immersed in a different reality. I am in continued awe at the fine art of translation and have discovered new works by some steadfast favourites, along with some firm new favourites.
The longlist truly showcased the extensive range of what translated fiction has to offer and its ability to cater to any reading taste through accessible language. I would recommend translated fiction to anyone who enjoys reading and encourage them to explore what is being created beyond the dominant anglophone sphere.
Deborah Whinney, librarian at Northumberland Schools Library Service, Northumberland
Tell us about your experience of being a Reading Challenge Ambassador. What did you enjoy most about the challenge, and how many books did you manage to read?
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity of being a Reading Challenge Ambassador. I’ve loved sharing my experience of reading these books with many people, including family, friends, work colleagues and School Librarians; while trying not to spill the beans regarding key plotlines! I’ve read all the books, which are so diverse and amazing, apart from one final longlisted title, The House on Via Gemito by Domenico Starnone, translated by Oonagh Stransky. I’m hoping to have finished reading it by the time the winner is announced on the 21st of May. I’m sure that I will continue to promote the International Booker Prize titles beyond this current prize year as I have learnt so much about translated fiction and why this prize is so brilliant.
The Reading Challenge aims to connect readers, both locally and across the world, with the world’s best fiction in translation. How did your library customers take part in the Reading Challenge?
The timing of the Reading Challenge coincided with the school Easter holidays, so I’m on catch up really. I have a meeting lined up with our School Librarians this week to talk about my involvement and how they can encourage their sixth-formers to take an interest in reading translated fiction. I recently spoke about being a Reading Challenge Ambassador at Northumberland Libraries Staff Conference. I also have an online book chat lined up with County Council colleagues this week; this is part of our support for Mental Health Awareness Week. Northumberland Libraries have the shortlisted books available for customers to borrow, both in print and as eBooks. I’m looking forward to seeing how my book chat goes – who will turn up, which books will they have read, and the discussions that will be engendered.
The International Booker Prize aims to recognise the translator, equally, alongside the author of each book. Did being an Ambassador for the Reading Challenge allow you any appreciation for the work of the translators of translated fiction? Why do you think they deserve a spotlight, too?
Good question! Had I ever considered the translator before? No, probably not. I have considered them since becoming an ambassador, however. The International Booker Prize website has some great interviews with the authors and translators which are truly eye-opening. You kind of know that books can take a long time to write but the time taken to translate some of them is astonishing – it’s already written so it shouldn’t take that long, right? Wrong! The care put into the translations to ensure that the correct emphasis of the stories is relayed – it’s amazing. The nuances of each word – how sometimes there just aren’t the words in English to exactly translate a meaning… how do translators get around that? So absolutely they deserve the spotlight too. I’m in awe of them.
Which book did you enjoy the most from the International Booker Prize 2024 longlist, and why?
Haha! How little I know myself when it comes to what I like to read! I was interested in so many – I love a bit of politics, a bit of humour but I don’t really have the stomach for blood and guts which was unfortunate as many of the books start quite violently. One of them is The Silver Bone by Andrey Kurkov, translated by Boris Dralyuk. I didn’t think I would get past the first page due to the rather startling opening but once I had steeled myself, however, I loved this – the dark humour made me smile wryly. My favourite shortlisted book is Crooked Plow by Itamar Vieira Junior, translated by Johnny Lorenz. It blends family, hardship, romance and politics. I found the opening event in the book also a bit hard to deal with and had to tell myself to keep reading – I’m glad that I did! It’s a beautiful and passionate book and I imagine it must have been extremely hard to translate the ‘motion’ of the book.
I’ve loved sharing my experience of reading these books with many people, including family, friends, work colleagues and School Librarians; while trying not to spill the beans regarding key plotlines!
— Deborah Whinney, librarian at Northumberland Schools Library Service, Northumberland
And which book would you tip to win?
A few weeks ago, I’d have tipped Crooked Plow to win, with runners-up being Kairos and What I’d Rather Not Think About. However, since then I have read Mater 2-10 by Hwang Sok-yong, translated by Sora Kim-Russell and Youngjae Josephine Bae, and now I have no idea who will win, as this was such a powerful novel. If I knew the criteria that the judges are using it might be easier! Though I would say that all the authors and translators are winners by being shortlisted in the first place. They are all so brilliantly creative and cover such a varied range of topics and styles – how do the judges decide? I don’t envy them.
What did you gain from the experience of reading this year’s best in translated fiction and why would you recommend reading TF to all readers?
I have gained so much from this amazing experience – I feel so lucky and honoured to have been chosen to be part of the inaugural group of International Booker Prize Ambassadors. I have loved reading all the books, reading about the authors and translators – what amazing jobs some of the translators have, and how they got into translating. It’s been totally eye-opening. My geography has also improved, I didn’t think it was that bad, but it turns out I have had work to do! Would I recommend translated fiction to all readers? Absolutely. I imagine many people have read translated fiction without thinking about it – or maybe seen a film or show based on a translated novel - Les Misérables, for example. Once you think about translated fiction like that it’s easier to see that there are no barriers to reading it – you just need to choose the book for you, and luckily the International Booker Prize is a great place to start that journey
Tayla Allen, librarian at HMP/YOI New Hall, West Yorkshire
Tell us about your experience of being a Reading Challenge Ambassador. What did you enjoy most about the challenge, and how many books did you manage to read?
My experience of being a Reading Challenge Ambassador has been very enjoyable! It has been interesting sharing translated fiction (both the longlist and translated fiction we already had in the library) with our learners. It led to many interesting discussions as to how translated fiction worked, with both staff and learners. The challenge has been beneficial for me too, I have read books I usually wouldn’t have picked up, which is always a good thing! I like to be put out of my reading comfort zone. I have found this with our learners too, many of whom stick to only one or two genres, have since been encouraged by displays in the library to have a go with the longlist. The challenge has definitely made me want to seek out more translated fiction!
I managed to get through six books, and I’m hoping to get through a few more before the winner is announced. I’m a slow reader!
The Reading Challenge aims to connect readers, both locally and across the world, with the world’s best fiction in translation. How did your library customers take part in the Reading Challenge?
I found the postcards to be a good visual aid for many of our learners, I have had mine stuck on the wall of the library for our learners to see how many I had read as well. Alongside the longlist, I have displayed translated fiction of all genres across the library. We also signposted translated fiction in our podcast episodes, talking about TF that my colleague and I had read in the past, and what we were excited about reading from the longlist. As a way to spread reading throughout the education department, we have signs on each door displaying what each member of staff is reading, this has also sparked conversation about the longlist and the reading challenge between staff and learners.
Tayla Allen, librarian at HMP/YOI New Hall, West Yorkshire
The International Booker Prize aims to recognise the translator, equally, alongside the author of each book. Did being an Ambassador for the Reading Challenge allow you any appreciation for the work of the translators of translated fiction? Why do you think they deserve a spotlight, too?
Being an Ambassador has definitely increased my appreciation for the work of translators. I think I thought that TF was a direct translation, without realising that certain words will be unique to a language, and that the translator has to get across the voice of the original author. Translators have almost two jobs, translating the work of the author and then having to translate the cultural elements that are woven into the book from the author’s home country. I felt the collaboration between author and translator especially in Not a River, after reading the Translator’s Note, with elements of the book that didn’t have direct English translations.
Translators are anglophone reader’s doorway to the rest of the world. Michael Hofmann says in his interview with the Booker, that he draws on his experiences without which, we would be missing out on hundreds of incredibly important and brilliant works of fiction.
Which book did you enjoy the most from the International Booker Prize 2024 longlist, and why?
The book I enjoyed the most was Lost on Me by Veronica Raimo, translated by Leah Janeczko. I loved how conversational it was, I could imagine Raimo being sat across from me telling me her life story. Lost on Me feels like a book of two halves, almost getting to the point of being meta, which threw me in the best way. Her reflection on writing the book was exciting, I loved the contrast between stories of her childhood and her teenage years. Raimo’s mother is also incredible, she made me laugh all the way through, and Raimo wrote about her with such love. It feels like every event of the book comes back to Raimo’s relationship with her parents. This book was also a favourite among my colleagues, we had an unofficial book club with Lost on Me!
Translators are anglophone reader’s doorway to the rest of the world
— Tayla Allen, librarian at HMP/YOI New Hall, West Yorkshire
And which book would you tip to win?
I would tip Not a River by Selva Almada, translated by Annie McDermott, to win. I read this in a day, I couldn’t put it down. It felt like it was haunted by the pasts of all its characters, and this foreboding was present from the very first page. The writing stands somewhere between poetry and prose. The events of the novel take place in such a short amount of time, Almada has managed to weave in years and years of history between the characters. I absolutely loved it.
What did you gain from the experience of reading this year’s best in translated fiction and why would you recommend reading TF to all readers?
As I said earlier, I have gained a new appreciation for translators. I found the translator’s note in the longlist I read fascinating; it was like an epilogue to each text. I feel like I learnt a great deal from these texts, TF gives an insight as to how people in other countries live, and what the histories of these places are. I would recommend TF to everyone, reading only American and British texts is limiting yourself to one view of the world. I have found some new favourites on this list, and I can’t wait to read more translated fiction this year.
Rebecca Roberts, bookseller at Night Owl Books, East Lothian
Tell us about your experience of being a Reading Challenge Ambassador. What did you enjoy most about the challenge, and how many books did you manage to read?
At this point in the challenge, I’ve read eight books from the International Booker Prize longlist, including all six shortlisted books – and I definitely hope to read the remaining five novels before the winner is announced on the 21st of May!
I think that the element of the challenge I’ve most enjoyed is discovering new authors whose work has been celebrated internationally, but who aren’t perhaps as widely known in the UK: my ‘to be read’ list now includes absolutely everything written by Selva Almada, Jenny Erpenbeck, and Ia Genberg!
Taking part in the Challenge has also encouraged me to step outside of my reading comfort zone, and to try novels that I might perhaps never have been naturally drawn to in a bookshop. For example, I might have been a little wary of the subject matter of What I’d Rather Not Think About, which focuses on themes of grief and loss, but actually it was one of the novels that I most enjoyed reading. As a bookseller, I’d always encourage readers to experiment with new genres or authors every once in a while, as you never know when you’ll discover a rich new literary vein to explore, and my experience of the Reading Challenge has definitely confirmed that belief for me.
The Reading Challenge aims to connect readers, both locally and across the world, with the world’s best fiction in translation. How did your bookshop customers take part in the Reading Challenge?
I’ve been sharing my experience of undertaking the Reading Challenge with bookshop customers in a number of ways; writing long-form reviews which I’ve shared as blog posts on our website, and recording short video reviews I’ve shared on our Instagram and TikTok accounts, which customers have told me they’ve really enjoyed! I’m thrilled that many have been emailing and popping in to order titles which they’ve been inspired to try after reading my reviews.
We also have an in-store display for the Reading Challenge, but surprisingly the thing which has sparked the most conversations has been keeping my ‘to be read’ stack by my desk in the bookshop! I’ve had some fantastic discussions about which book I’m currently reading, or what I’ve thought of the titles I’ve read so far, and it’s been wonderful to see visitors taking away Reading Challenge postcards to remember the books they’d also like to read.
Later this month we’ll also be partnering with a local independent business, Wine Wednesdays North Berwick, to host a special wine-tasting book club event for Not a River by Selva Almada, where we’ll be chatting about the novel while enjoying three different wines from Argentina – which I know a lot of our customers are really looking forward to! I think that book clubs are an incredibly powerful tool to bring people together (which can only be made better by the addition of wine!) and I’m really looking forward to hearing what our book club thought of Not a River.
Rebecca Roberts, bookseller at Night Owl Books, East Lothian
The International Booker Prize aims to recognise the translator, equally, alongside the author of each book. Did being an Ambassador for the Reading Challenge allow you any appreciation for the work of the translators of translated fiction? Why do you think they deserve a spotlight, too?
Since studying French and Italian and also working as a freelance translator while at university, I’ve always felt very conscious of the subtle mix of art and science that translation entails, but reading the International Booker Prize longlist has really underscored the huge impact that translators can have on our experience of a text, and the powerful insight into other cultures that translated fiction can offer us. This was really highlighted for me by the approach that Sora Kim-Russell and Youngjae Josephine Bae took to translating Mater 2-10 by Hwang Sok-yong, choosing to leave certain culturally specific terms in the original Korean, such as family titles and culinary vocabulary. It was fascinating to read their Translators’ Note, and to learn why they resisted the more common approach taken by translators of making a text as easy to read as possible:
‘If a story is not just about the survival of a nation but the survival of the common people of that nation, the ones most often trod upon, then what does it mean for a translation to erase the markers of that nation’s culture, of those people’s identities?’
As I’ve been reading through the longlist, I’ve really noticed how much I appreciate it when publishers include a note from translators, and allow them the space in which to explain the approach that they’ve taken to translating the text, any particularities of it, or differences between the original and target language that they’ve had to overcome. As a reader I’d highly encourage all publishers to do this, if possible, not only because acknowledging and highlighting the work of translators is fair, but also because it can enrich the reader’s experience of a work, and through it, their knowledge of other cultures and languages.
Which book did you enjoy the most from the International Booker Prize 2024 longlist, and why?
The novel that I’ve most enjoyed reading from this year’s International Booker Prize longlist has to be Not a River by Selva Almada, translated by Annie McDermott, which contains so many of the elements that I love in any work of literature: a strong sense of place and atmosphere, deceptively simple yet lyrical prose, and incredibly concise yet potent storytelling. I would place it in the same category of novels as Claire Keegan’s Small Things Like These, which similarly expresses so much in so few pages, and slightly ruins everything else that you read for a time afterwards! I would also highly recommend it as a choice for book clubs, as it’s a novel that could invite so many different interpretations, and I’m sure will inspire some interesting discussions.
Reading the International Booker Prize longlist has really underscored the huge impact that translators can have on our experience of a text
— Rebecca Roberts, bookseller at Night Owl Books, East Lothian
And which book would you tip to win?
Although at times it is not a comfortable read, the other novel that I’ve most enjoyed from this year’s shortlist is Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, translated by Michael Hofmann. Kairos is exquisitely written and translated, and I’ve found it lingering with me long after I’ve turned its final pages, despite reading a number of books since. I thoroughly enjoyed its exploration of the heady early days of Hans and Katharina’s love affair, contrasted with the claustrophobia of their relationship as it later develops, but also its evocative depiction of a lost place and time (communist East Berlin). Emotionally challenging yet incredibly thought-provoking, Kairos would for me be a very worthy winner of the International Booker Prize 2024.
What did you gain from the experience of reading this year’s best in translated fiction and why would you recommend reading TF to all readers?
I’ve been undertaking the International Booker Prize Reading Challenge at the same time as helping to judge the Indie Book Awards, and preparing for author interviews for our shop events, and so have been devouring titles quickly and in rapid succession. On the one hand, I’ve loved the way that reading the longlisted titles so intensively has been so immersive, plunging me into other times and places, and I feel grateful to have learnt about regions of the world and moments in history about which I was previously embarrassingly ignorant, such as Korea under the Japanese occupation, or the experience of tenant farmers in Brazil.
On the other hand, however, I feel that many of the longlisted titles would, like an excellent meal, be best savoured and enjoyed slowly. Each of the titles that I’ve read from the International Booker Prize longlist have encouraged me to think and look at the world in a different way, and I feel that I’ve gained something from reading each of them. I’d highly encourage anyone looking for inspiration for what to read next to take up the International Booker Prize Reading Challenge, and to read perhaps just one of these titles per month: at the end of little over a year you might find that you have a greater understanding of and curiosity about life in 12 different countries and moments in history – though I’m afraid that you might find yourself adding many, many more books to your ‘to be read pile’, too!
Evelyn Heis, bookseller at Max Minerva’s, Bristol
Tell us about your experience of being a Reading Challenge Ambassador. What did you enjoy most about the challenge, and how many books did you manage to read?
Being a Reading Challenge Ambassador has been an immense privilege. It has been an incredibly memorable opportunity that has been equally rewarding as it is fulfilling. I have had the pleasure of encountering new kinds of translated literature, which has not only solidified my love and appreciation for translated fiction but also pushed me beyond my depth by introducing me to new countries, cultures, and authors. The International Booker Prize longlist is meticulously hand-picked, and what a pleasure it has been savouring the fruits of this year’s nominated titles.
Balancing an intense Master’s Comparative Literature course, a part-time bookseller job, and the Reading Challenge is no easy feat, so I have only been able to get through the shortlist so far! I plan on delving into the rest of the longlisted titles in the next few weeks, as I would love to continue to support the circulation of translated literature and the endeavour to promote such works. While reading for the International Booker felt more like a treat than a task, the biggest challenge I have faced during the last few months has been juggling the things I have to do versus what I would like to do: read, read, and read translated literature!
The Reading Challenge aims to connect readers, both locally and across the world, with the world’s best fiction in translation. How did your bookshop customers take part in the Reading Challenge?
After I was selected to be a Reading Challenge Ambassador, we incorporated a ‘Translated Fiction’ shelf in our Max Minerva’s store. Previously, we displayed translated fiction amidst our general fiction and independent publisher bookshelves, but we took this opportunity to spotlight the International Booker Prize 2024 longlist and advertise the Reading Challenge alongside our translated literature selection. Our ‘translated fiction’ shelf is home to an array of international literature, honing in on literature from Latin America to Korea, and we have had a really positive response from our customers. In conversation with some of our regular customers, I have been able to share my experience as a Reading Challenge Ambassador. Many of them picked one or two titles from the longlist they felt most suited for. I have yet to discuss with them how they found the reading experience, but it’s been a great topic of conversation. I was really surprised to have found a great deal of interest in translated literature in our area, and so I am hoping to implement a ‘Translated Literature’ book club in September to entice more customers to consume literature from other languages and cultures!
Evelyn Heis, bookseller at Max Minerva’s, Bristol
The International Booker Prize aims to recognise the translator, equally, alongside the author of each book. Did being an Ambassador for the Reading Challenge allow you any appreciation for the work of the translators of translated fiction? Why do you think they deserve a spotlight, too?
Throughout history, translators have been pushed into a role that conceals their craft, with their presence invisible and their hard-working hands hidden. For a long time, people took translations for granted. Readers did not question how they gained access to literature from other countries that had been written in other languages; they merely consumed it. As translators remained tucked away, so did the recognition of their skilful craft. This is why movements such as ‘Name the Translator’ are invaluable.
Last Summer, I participated in a four-day translation course, working with English to Spanish (and vice versa) translations in workshops led by Sophie Hughes, Rosalind Harvey, and Annie McDermott, who translated Not A River. Despite being fluent in both languages, this was by far one of the most challenging experiences I have ever undergone. It was here, that I was truly able to conceptualise – and attempt to face – the myriad of challenges translators undergo: having to capture the voice, humour, and tone of the original language text into another, ensuring to retain the cultural significance of the language, the author’s intent, and the beautiful lyrical syntax which gives the text its captivating qualities.
What I love most about reading translated literature is that translators pour so much of themselves into their work, and every word has been carefully considered, mulled over, and selected to convey a certain quality. When you read a translated work, you are reading the purest art form. No two translations will be the same, for we all interpret works differently. Given all of the above, I believe translations are so special, and the tinkering work done by translators deserves every inch of appreciation possible.
Which book did you enjoy the most from the International Booker Prize 2024 longlist, and why?
This year’s shortlist was meticulously considered and assembled. It has been a privilege to read these wonderfully written international titles, as I was exposed to new kinds of literature, such as Korean and Swedish, which I had never encountered before! Without a shadow of a doubt, the book that completely swept me off my feet was Itamar Vieira Junior’s Crooked Plow. This is one of those books that completely stays with you long after you finish reading it. It is the perfect blend of social realism, with cutting observations on the legacies of slavery and the role of women amidst fantastical and beautiful descriptions of the Brazilian landscape, familial relationships, and indigenous beliefs. Once I started it, I could not put it down, and I am yet to stop thinking about it!
I was able to venture out into literature from new regions and languages, immersing myself in new kinds of cultures and experiences through the reading challenge
— Evelyn Heis, bookseller at Max Minerva’s, Bristol
And which book would you tip to win?
Without being biased, as per my previous answer, I would be thrilled if Crooked Plow became this year’s Booker Prize winner. Although the longlist contains so many brilliant titles – Kairos, I’m looking at you – I think Crooked Plow does something more, something which we have not been exposed to enough. In a neo-narrative way, Vieira Junior showcases the under heard voices of Brazilian enslaved people and addresses the concept of ‘freedom’ without claims to the land or rights in a society where racism and colonialism are so deeply embedded. To echo Audre Lorde, ‘the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house’. Crooked Plow paints an image of Brazilian history that we need to familiarise ourselves with and does so in an accessible, colourful way that characterised the reading experience for me as an extremely moving and captivating one.
What did you gain from the experience of reading this year’s best in translated fiction and why would you recommend reading TF to all readers?
This year’s best in translated fiction are some of the best titles I have been exposed to. It has been extremely motivating to be surrounded by so much talent, particularly talent that is still writing, translating, and working in our time. I was able to venture out into literature from new regions and languages, immersing myself in new kinds of cultures and experiences through the reading challenge. I was able to put myself into the shoes of new characters with different life experiences to my own and interrogate what I previously thought I knew about these cultures.
As I previously iterated, literature is not only a transmitter of culture, but also, a tool that enables us to transport ourselves into different contexts. Given how meticulously crafted translated literature is, with every word having been carefully considered, I believe that the most enriching and fulfilling kind of literature to consume is that of translated fiction. As this year’s list has proven to be true, some of the most original, heart-wrenching, hilarious, and inspiring works of literature are waiting for us in other cultures across the globe. Only through translation will we be privileged enough to taste them.
