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European Union Prize for Literature announces 2020 shortlist candidates

2020-eupl-shortlisted books

We are excited to reveal 47 authors and books from 13 participating countries nominated for the 2020 European Union Prize for Literature

The European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) recognises emerging fiction writers from across Europe. The award includes 41 countries which are part of the Creative Europe programme – an initiative which aims to strengthen Europe’s cultural and creative sectors. The EUPL was launched in 2009, and since then recognised 122 winning authors through 11 editions. Each year, the EUPL awards one winner per country from a third of participating countries. This year’s edition will award winners from 13 countries: Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway and Spain.

The winners of the EUPL 2020 edition will be announced on 19 May.

EUPL 2020 shortlist

We are proud to present the 2020 shortlist for the European Union Prize for Literature (the list below is in alphabetical order):

Belgium

  • Charly Delwart, Databiographie (Databiography), publisher: Flammarion
  • Nathalie Skowronek, La carte des regrets (The map of regrets), publisher: Grasset
  • Odile d’Oultremont, Baïkonour (Baikonur), publisher: Editions de l’Observatoire
  • Victoire de Changy, L’île longue (The long island), publisher: Autrement

Bosnia and Herzegovina

  • Adnan Repeša, Svojta (Taxa), publisher: Synopsis
  • Danijel Gatarić, Libreto (Libretto), publisher: Kontrast
  • Elvedin Nezirović, Ništa lakše od umiranja (Nothing easier than dying), publisher: Laguna
  • Lana Bastašić, Uhvati zeca (Catch the rabbit), publisher: Buybook

Croatia

  • Kristina Gavran, Gitara od palisandra (The rosewood guitar), publisher: Disput
  • Maša Kolanović, Poštovani kukci i druge jezive priče (Dear insects and other scary stories), publisher: Profil knjiga
  • Nenad Stipanić, Bogovi neona (Neon Gods), publisher: Sandorf
  • Zoran Malkoč, Umro Supermen (Superman is dead), publisher: Fraktura

Cyprus

  • Κυθρεώτης Χρίστος (Christos Kithreotis), Εκεί που ζούμε (The place we live), publisher: Patakis Publications
  • Σωτηρίου Κωνσταντία (Constandia Sotiriou), Πικρία χώρα (Bitter country), publisher: Patakis Publications
  • Σταύρος Χριστοδούλου (Stavros Christodoulou), Τη μέρα που πάγωσε ο ποταμός (The day the river froze), publisher: Kastaniotis Publications

Denmark

  • Asta Olivia Nordenhof, Penge på lommen (Money in your pocket), publisher: Basilisk
  • Maren Uthaug, En lykkelig slutning (A happy ending), publisher: Lindhardt and Ringhof
  • Morten Pape, Guds Bedste Børn (God’s Best Children), publisher: Politikens
  • Thomas Korsgaard, Tyverier (Thefts), publisher: Lindhardt and Ringhof

Estonia

  • Kaur Riismaa, Väike Ferdinand (Little Ferdinand), publisher: Vihmakass ja Kakerdaja
  • Mait Vaik, Kurvake sügis (Sad autumn), publisher: Puiestee
  • Mudlum (Made Luiga), Poola poisid (Polish boys), publisher: Strata

Germany

  • Gunther Geltinger, Benzin (Petrol), publisher: Suhrkamp Verlag
  • Leif Randt, Allegro Pastell (Allegro Pastel), publisher: Verlag Kiepenheuer & Witsch
  • Matthias Nawrat, Der traurige Gast (The Sad Guest), publisher: Rowohlt Verlag
  • Paulina Czienskowski, Taubenleben (Pigeon life), publisher: Blumenbar
  • Peggy Mädler, Wohin wir gehen (Where we are going), publisher: Verlag Galiani Berlin

Kosovo

  • Azem Deliu, Shënimet e krimbit Smolinski (Notes of the Worm Smolinsky), publisher: Onufri
  • Majlinda Bregasi, Gërsheti i prerë (The Cut Braid), publisher: Koha
  • Shpëtim Selmani, Libërthi i dashurisë (The Booklet of Love), publisher: Armagedoni

Luxembourg

  • Francis Kirps, Die Mutationen (The Mutations), publisher: Hydre Editions
  • Jeff Schinker, Sabotage (Sabotage), publisher: Hydre Editions
  • Samuel Hamen, V wéi vreckt, w wéi Vitess : Erzielung (Kaput), publisher: G. Binsfeld

Montenegro

  • Milo Masoničić, Kraj smjene (The End of the shift), publisher: Treći trg
  • Stefan Bošković, Ministar (Minister), publisher: Nova knjiga

North Macedonia

  • Давор Стојановски (Davor Stojanovski), Утеха за голите (Consolation for the naked), publisher: Или-или (ili-ili)
  • Ѓорѓи Крстевски (Gjorgji Krstevski), Другата страна (The Other side), publisher: Бегемот (Begemot)
  • Михајло Свидерски (Mihajlo Sviderski), Последните денови на Ханс (Han’s last days), publisher: Или-или (ili-ili)
  • Петар Андоновски (Petar Andonovski), Страв од варвари (Fear of barbarians), publisher: Или-или (ili-ili)

Norway

  • Atle Berge, Puslingar (Roughneck), publisher: Samlaget
  • Bjørn Esben Almaas, Den gode vennen (The good friend), publisher: Oktober
  • Maria Navarro Skarange, Bok om sorg (Book of grief), publisher: Oktober
  • Therese Tungen, Kjærleik og det som liknar (Love and the like), publisher: Aschehoug

Spain

  • Elisa Ferrer, Temporada de avispas (Wasp season), publisher: Tusquets
  • Irene Solà, Canto jo i la muntanya balla (I sing and the mountain dances), publisher: Anagrama
  • Joan Benesiu, Serem Atlàntida (We will be Atlantis), publisher: Periscopi
  • Raquel Taranilla, Noche y océano (Night and ocean), publisher: Seix Barral

The shortlist for each country has been selected by a national jury of literary experts.