Finalists of 2022 International Booker Prize announced

The judges have announced their list of finalists for the 2022 International Booker Prize, awarded for the best English translation of a novel. 

The shortlisted novels have been translated into English from Korean, Norwegian, Japanese, Spanish, Hindi and Polish.

The finalists include previous winners Olga Tokarczuk and Jennifer Croft, as well as four other authors translated into English for the first time.  

Heaven by Mieko Kawakami, translated by Samuel Bett and David Boyd, published by Picador, Pan Macmillan.

The story is about a 14-year-old boy subjected to relentless bullying. His sole ally is a girl classmate, who is also preyed upon by the bullies. They meet in secret to take solace in each other’s company, unaware that their relationship has not gone unnoticed by their tormentors.  

Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro, translated by Frances Riddle, published by Charco Press

This is a story that interweaves crime fiction with intimate tales of morality and the search for individual freedom.

A New Name: Septology VI-VII by Jon Fosse, translated by Damion Searls, published by Fitzcarraldo Editions

In this book, the author delivers both a transcendent exploration of the human condition and a radically ‘other’ reading experience.

The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Jennifer Croft, published by Fitzcarraldo Editions

This book takes place in the mid-18th century. A young Jew of mysterious origins arrives in a village in Poland. Before long, he has changed not only his name, but his persona.

Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree, translated by Daisy Rockwell, published by Tilted Axis Press

This book tells the story of an 80-year-old woman who slips into a deep depression at the death of her husband, then resurfaces to gain a new lease of life.

Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, translated by Anton Hur, published by Honford Star

Korean author Bora Chung uses elements of the fantastic and surreal to address the very real horrors and cruelties of patriarchy and capitalism in modern society.

The winner will be announced on 26 May 2022. The £50,000 cash prize will be split evenly between the author and translator. 

The International Booker Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards, handed out annually for the best fiction translated into English.  

This year’s longlist of novels and judges can be found here.