Tomb of Sand written by Geetanjali Shree and translated by Daisy Rockwell, receives global applause by winning the International Booker Prize 2022! To tell you about it in a single line, it is all about 'An urgent yet engaging protest against the destructive impact of borders, whether between religions, countries or genders,' as stated on their official website. (https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/prize-years/international/2022). The novel is set in northern India and narrates the adventures of an 80-year-old woman who surprisingly experiences an unconventional lease on life.
But we are not here to talk about the book. The news has now got people in a tizzy wondering if it's the Booker Prize or the International Booker Prize! To clear this confusion, here we are with today's #WhatTheFAQ.
Is it the Booker Prize or International Booker Prize?
A Booker Prize is awarded to a novel or literary work which are originally written in English and then published in UK and Ireland. On the contrary, the International Booker Prize is awarded to those novels that are written in another language, then translated to English and published in UK and Ireland.
What is the International Booker Prize?
The International Booker Prize started in 2005 as the Man Booker International Prize and became The International Booker Prize in 2019. Later in 2015, when the rules of the original Booker Prize expanded, allowing writers of any nationality to participate, the International Prize evolved to become the mirror image of the English-language prize. The main aim of the International Prize is to uplift and motivate more reading of quality fiction from around the world.
Who shortlists the winner?
A panel of five judges is appointed by the Booker Prize Foundation in consideration of the advice of the Booker Prize Foundation Advisory Committee. The elected judges are then required to read all the submissions and are held responsible for compiling a list of 12 or 13 books, among which 6 will be shortlisted and from these, 1 winner will be chosen.
What's the process for submitting a novel?
The International Booker Prize for fiction translated into English is awarded annually to the author and translator of the best (in the opinion of the judges) eligible novel or collection of short stories. The work must be published in the UK or Ireland between May 1, of the year prior and April 30, of the year of that award. Submissions must be made between July and early October.
How much is the cash prize?
The writer's work is appreciated and celebrated with a reward of £50,000 which is divided equally between the author and translator. Each shortlisted author and translator also receives £2,500 and a specially bound edition of their book.
What is special this year?
The novel Tomb of Sand is the first book that was originally written in an Indian language to win the International Booker Prize and the first novel translated from Hindi to be recognised by the award.
What did the winner have to say?
Born in Manipuri and currently residing in Delhi, Geetanjali Shree is the author of three novels and many short collections and her works are translated into English, French, German, Serbian and Korean. In a discussion with the Booker Prize team, she stated, "I represent a language and culture and this recognition brings into larger purview the entire world of Hindi literature, in particular, and Indian literature, as a whole. It also brings into view the fact that there is a vast world of literature with rich lineages which still needs to be discovered."
