Well it’s that time of year when the Independent Foreign fiction prize longlist is announced and I m going to do my annual guessing for it .I want to say 2012-2013 has in my humble opinion has been one of the brightest years in recent times so without further ado I’m going try to guess what will make the longlist and when the list is announced tomorrow how many I have got right –
Certain –
Satantango by László Krasznahorkai
Well this is the book ,I ve read twice and it is the best book from the last twelve month .A man returns to a remote collective farming village after two years away but has he changed is he the devil .
HHhH BY Laurent Binet
Probably the most talked about translation in the last twelve months ,two men set of to kill a notorious Nazi Officer .
Dublinesque – Enrique Vila-Matas
One of the most well-known names in Spanish Literature returns with a new translation and his Homage to Ireland and to the fiction of James Joyce .
My struggle part one(A death in the family ) by Karl Ove Knausgaard
The first of five books that kept Norway hooked for the last few year part bio part fiction .Proust for a modern age .
Three strong women by Marie Ndiaye
The Prix Goncourt from 2009 finally reached us in English the story of three African women show how hard life can be gripping stuff .
Traveller of the Century by Andres Neuman
An Argentina writer I had look forward to in English didn’t disappoint a mix of Latin american and Europe set in a medieval Europe .
Seven years by Peter Stamm
Says what it is on the cover but so well written ,A husband strays after they’ve been together for seven years .
Where I left my soul by Jérôme Ferrari
Three men in the Algerian war show the many sides of the war and the horrors of war ,he recently won the Prix Goncourt .
Where the Tigers are at home by Jean Marie Blas de Robles
The stunning epic and the most overlooked book in the last twelve months .A man in the back and beyond of Brazil ,writes a bio and meet many people .
My brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
Two friend grow up in Fifties Italy ,a story of how two friends from the same place can end up so far apart .
The briefcase by Hiromi Kawakami
A Japanese take on the May to December story a young women and her old teacher who is retired have a romance .
Necropolis by Santiago Gamboa
A writer is invited to a strange conference of writers in Israeli .Someone is murder there and we hear the other writers stories .
Our man in Iraq by Robert Perisic
A Journalist with a trouble marriage sends a family member to the Gulf war to report trouble follows .
Azazeel by Youssef Ziedan
A monk in the 5th century working on a text is tempt by the devil ,this won the Arab Booker .
Murder of Halland by Pia Juul
My favourite from last years Peirene books a new take on the crime from the wife of the victim and how she copes .
The sound of things falling by Juan Gabriel Vasquez
A man remembers a man he knew and the time of the drug cartels and their power in Columbia
Well sixteen books there and a few others just on the verge for me
Zbindens progress – Christoph Simon
The island by Carlos Gamerro
The human part by Hari Hotakainen
Heaven and Hell by Jon Kalman Stefansson
What are your thoughts ?
This list alone would leave me with enough reading material for months. Even with your brief description, I am left wondering why I haven’t read a few of these books. I do think that several were added to my MT TBR after reading your earlier reviews.
Some I hadn’t reviewed but will be so many great books in last year all the best stu
What a fantastic list, regardless of the one announced tomorrow. Thanks for a great summary of books to look out for.
Thanks Claire and half right with actual list all the best stu
I have the Stamm and Ferrante novels in the TBR pile, and the Gamboa is on the to-buy sometime list
The Gamboa is very good he is a writer I ll be reading again all the best stu
This list will do for me. Can’t believe I’ve only read 2 of them (and currently reading The Sound of Things Falling). The only other book I could possibly add is Trieste. Anyway, looking forward to reading as many as I can!
Yes I missed Trieste and it made actual list all the best stu
I agree: who cares about their longlist, this is the one that matters to me!
I’ve read The Briefcase, and I have Seven Years, Three Strong Women and Dublinesque on my TBR. The others look fascinating. Thanks, Stu:)
Welcome Lisa I like my list better but some haven’t read on actual so look forward to them all the best stu
This is the good thing about these lists and why people like them, they bring great new books to our attention.
They definitely do these two together give people a glimpse into translation for last twelve months all the best stu
Well, it appears that there are some surprises 🙂
Anyway, the gun has been fired, and we’re off!
We are tony a few surprises two and hadbt heard of all the best stu
I’ve just seen the real list, but I think you did a great job of predictiing these. It is great to see that HHhH and A Death in the Family made the cut. Enjoy your reading!
Will do jackie best list ever I feel all the best stu
Wow, what a terrific looking list. I wish that I had time to read them all! I am actually going to try to at least get to one or two of them this year!
Look forward to your reviews all the best stu
I’m liking your list better than the official, due to the fact I’ve either read or own more of them, with the official list I’ve two.
Actual list had a couple of shocks for me be collecting two from library tomorrow and get them to get other three hopefully all the best stu
Wonderful list, Stu! I have read Peter Stamm’s ‘Seven Years’ and have read reviews of Kawakami’s ‘The Briefcase’ and one of my book club mates told me about László Krasznahorkai, but the other books are all new to me. ‘Dublinesque’ sounds like a very interesting book and ‘Azazeel’ sounds like a fascinating book. I would love to read your thoughts on both of them. Just checked the prize site and discovered that seven of the book from your shadow longlist are there 🙂 You are amazing!
Yes did well this time krasznahorkai is worth trying amazing for a debut novel really all the best stu
You did pretty well, Stu! Between your list and the IFFP list I reckon there’s plenty to keep even the most avid reader going for quite some time!
Thanks Kim there is very much to keep people going and shows what a good year it has been for translation all the best stu
So many of those books look great
Thanks Michael all the best stu
What a special list and so various!
Thanks
Stu,
Thank you for listing all the books I’ve missed! You’re right, a wonderful, varied collection. These will be added to my 2013 list. Thank you for posting them.
Judith (Reader in the Wilderness)
Welcome such a great year for books in translation shows by the books on mine and actual list all the best stu