IMPAC 2010

One of the largest and most inclusive literary awards in the world is the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. This award is managed by Dublin City Libraries, on behalf of Dublin City Council, and is sponsored by IMPAC, an international management productivity company with its European headquarters in Dublin. The 2010 award is open to novels written in any language and by authors of any nationality, provided the work was been published in English between 1st January 2008 and 31st December 2008. If a translated work, the novel must first have been published between 1st January 2004 and 31st December 2008. It is worth noting that this is one of the few literary prizes that acknowledges and financially rewards the translator. Nominations are submitted by library systems in major cities throughout the world. We have till June 17th to scrutinise the shortlist along with the judging panel.

The judging panel is made up of novelists Anne Fine and Anatoly Kudryavitsky, Eve Patten who is Senior Lecturer in English Lit at Trinity College, Abdourahman Waberi, essayist, novelist, teacher, poet and short story writer, and Zoë Wicomb, a South African writer. Chair of the judging panel is Eugene R. Sullivan, former Chief Judge of a US Court of Appeals.


The short listed titles are as follows:

The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker (Dutch) in translation

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (French) in translation

In Zodiac Light by Robert Edric (British)

Settlement by Christoph Hein (German) in translation.

The Believers by Zoë Heller (British)

Netherland by Joseph O’Neill (Irish)

God’s Own Country by Ross Raisin (British)

Home by Marilynne Robinson (American)

Full details of the shortlisted novels can be viewed here


Previous winners of the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award include:

Man Gone Down by Michael Thomas 2009

De Niro’s Game by Rawi Hage 2008

Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson 2007

The Master by Colm Tóibín 2006