With books nominated by 80 libraries from 35 countries, 4 novels by Australian authors and 2 New Zealand authors are in the running for the €100,000 prize sponsored by Dublin City Council
Novels by four Australian authors are among the 70 books nominated by libraries around the world for the 2023 Dublin Literary Award, which is sponsored by Dublin City Council. In 1996, the first award was presented to Australian author David Malouf for Remembering Babylon. Now in its 29th year, this award is the world’s most valuable annual prize for a single work of fiction published in English, worth €100,000 to the winner.
The longlist spans 35 countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, the US, Canada, South America, Australia, and New Zealand, featuring 31 novels in translation and 16 debut novellists. Australian author, Robbie Arnott, has been nominated for his novel Limberlost by two Australian libraries while New Zealand author Catherine Chidgey has been nominated for two novels The Axeman’s Carnival and Pet. If the winning book has been translated to English from another language, the author receives €75,000 and the translator receives €25,000.
The 31 translated books represent 14 languages including Finnish, Hungarian, Romanian, Serbian and Turkish.
The Australian titles nominated for the 2024 Award are:
- Limberlost by Robbie Arnott, published by Text Publishing and nominated by Libraries Tasmania and State Library of New South Wales, Australia
- Day’s End by Garry Disher, published by Text Publishing and nominated by State Library of Victoria, Australia
- Feast by Emily O’Grady, published by Allen & Unwin and nominated by State Library of Queensland, Australia
- Praiseworthy by Alexis Wright, published by Giramondo Publishing and nominated by The National Library of Australia
The shortlist will be revealed on 26th March 2024 and the winner will be announced by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daithí de Róiste, on 23rd May 2024, as part of the International Literature Festival Dublin, which is also funded by Dublin City Council.
Download the complete longlist of library nominations here
Download a collage image of the complete longlist of library nominations here
Download the Dublin Literary Award Longlist Brochure here
Speaking at the launch of the longlist, Patron of the Award, the Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste said, “This year’s longlist is an eclectic mix of world literature taking the reader on a journey through different cultures and traditions and highlights the importance of our shared literary imagination and the power of the written word.”
The international panel of judges who will select the shortlist and winner, features Irenosen Okojie, a Nigerian British author and journalist who has judged various literary prizes and received an MBE for Services to Literature; Daniel Medin, a professor of comparative literature at the American University of Paris, where he teaches courses on East Central European literature and culture; Lucy Collins an Associate Professor at University College Dublin, where she teaches modern and contemporary literature; Anton Hur, a Korean author and translator who was double-longlisted and shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize; and Ingunn Snædal an Icelandic poet, translator, literary editor and teacher who has translated over 100 novels and children’s books from Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, English and Icelandic, and received several nominations and accolades for her translations.
The non-voting Chairperson is Professor Chris Morash, the Seamus Heaney Professor of Irish Writing at Trinity College Dublin.
Dublin City Librarian, Mairead Owens acknowledged the judging panel for their commitment and engagement with the award process this year with special thanks to the chair, Professor Chris Morash.
The longlist of 70 titles can be viewed at dublinliteraryaward.ie
