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Arab writers shortlisted for top prize
Three Arab authors, including Arab-Israeli Saeed Kashua, were among eight shortlisted on Wednesday for one of the world's most valuable prizes for a single work of fiction in English.
- Reuters
- Published: 00:44 April 4, 2008
Dublin: Three Arab authors, including Arab-Israeli Saeed Kashua, were among eight shortlisted on Wednesday for one of the world's most valuable prizes for a single work of fiction in English.
The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award - set up 13 years ago to underline the Irish capital's importance as an artistic centre - is worth 100,000 euros (about Dh573,767).
Other contenders this year, along with Kashua's novel Let it Be Morning, include De Niro's Game by Lebanese author Rawi Hage and The Attack by Yasmina Khadra from Algeria.
Worldwide selection
The other books on the shortlist, which was whittled down from 137 titles nominated by libraries worldwide, were Winterwood by Ireland's Patrick McCabe, The Speed of Light by Spanish Javier Cercas, The Sweet and Simple Kind by Yasmine Gooneraratne from Sri Lanka, Dreams of Speaking by Australian Gail Jones and The Woman Who Waited by Andrei Makine, a Russian.
The prize, set up by Dublin City Council and the Dublin-headquartered US management company IMPAC, was won last year by Norway's Per Petterson and his translator Anne Born, for the novel Out Stealing Horses.
This year's winner will be announced by Dublin's Lord Mayor on June 12.
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