The Man Booker International Prize 2018, Shortlist

Hello Gentle Reader

In a week riddled with controversy in the literary world, it would be easy to overlook the Man Booker International Prizes shortlist for two-thousand and eighteen. The shortlist is listed below, organized by author and their nominated book, in no particular order.

Olga Tokarczuk – “Flights,”

Ahmed Saadawi – “Frankenstein in Baghdad,”

Antonio Muñoz Molina – “Like a Fading Shadow,”

Virginie Despentes – “Vernon Subutex 1,”

Laszlo Krasznahorkai – “The World Goes On,”

Hang Kang – “The White Book,”

There they are Gentle Reader, the six shortlisted titles for this year’s Man Booker International Prize. If one were to review the texts selected here (as well as on the longlist) one can specifically see, there is no overlap between the Man Booker International Prize’s nominated and selected authors, and the Best Translated Book Award’s nominated and selected writers and books. Much like the Booker Prize itself, the Man Booker International Prize, operates very conventionally and conservatively. Two writers shortlisted have already won the award before: Hang Kang and Laszlo Krasznahorkai. Olga Tokarczuk is considered an internationally renowned writer. Virginie Despentes is a renowned French writer and intellectual, who is now beginning to make a name for herself in the English language. Antonio Muñoz Molina is considered a leading Spanish language writer, and has a relatively steady presence within the English language. This means the old daring writer on the list, who is just beginning to gain a foothold in the English language, is the Iraqi writer Ahmed Saadawi.

In comparison, the Best Translated Book Award, is riddled with new and exciting names, meaning to or not, overlooking already established authors such as Laszlo Krasznahorkai (who the award went to twice), Hang Kang and Olga Tokarczuk, for writers and authors generally overlooked, underappreciated, or otherwise unnoticed. The Best Translated Book Award certainly takes the cake for being extensive, diverse, and daring.

However, the Man Booker International Prize cannot be overlooked with the press and media attention, the writer receives after winning the award. The Booker name and brand carries prestige and honour with it. Though, unfortunately the award often appears to be a bit to conventional and conservative that it fails to see the diversity of the translated literature market.

Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader

Take Care

And As Always

Stay Well Read

M. Mary