2009 German Book Prize Shortlist
Via signandsight — who marvelously add links to English-language excerpts for each of the books! —here’s the equivalent of France’s Goncourt (though how equivalent it really is could only be settled by comparing the sales figures of the winners…)
The German Book Prize is presented to the best German-language novel just before the start of the Frankfurt Book Fair as an annual award from the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels Stifung – the Foundation of the German Publishers & Booksellers Association. The Prize is intended to draw attention beyond national borders to authors writing in German, to reading and to the keynote medium of the book.
The 2009 shortlist:
Rainer Merkel: “Light Years Away” (Lichtjahre Entfernt)
S. Fischer Verlag
About the book
English excerpt
Herta Müller: “Everything I Own I Carry With Me” (Atemschaukel)
Suhrkamp Verlag
About the book
English excerpt
Norbert Scheuer: “The Rushing of the Weir” (Überm Rauschen)
C.H.Beck Verlag
About the book
English excerpt
Katrin Schmidt: You’re Not Going to Die (Du Stirbst Nicht)
Kiepenheuer & Witsch Verlag
About the book
English excerpt
Clemens J. Setz: “Frequencies” (Die Frequenzen)
Residenz Verlag
About the book
English excerpt
Stephan Thome : “Border Walk” (Grenzgang)
Suhrkamp Verlag
About the book
English excerpt
The judges for the German Book Prize 2009 are: Richard Kämmerlings, Michael Lemling, Martin Lüdke, Lothar Müller, Iris Radisch, Daniela Strigl and Hubert Winkels
The winner will be announced at the award ceremony on October 12th.
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