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In mad times, there is comfort in literature – particularly so this year, perhaps.
On Tuesday, the International Booker prize announced its shortlist, claiming the featured works brimmed with “hope, insight and burning humanity”.
Authors Daniel Kehlmann, Marie NDiaye, Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, Rene Karabash, Shida Bazyar and Ana Paula Maia will compete for the £50,000 prize, to be shared equally with their translators.
Their works tell the stories of a suburban witch, a morally compromised filmmaker, a bloodthirsty prison warden, a sworn virgin, a novelist and interpreter, and a multigenerational family of Iranian emigrants.
“With narratives that capture moments from across the past century, these books reverberate with history,” said Natasha Brown, chair of the judging panel. “While there’s heartbreak, brutality and isolation among these stories, their lasting effect is energising.”
The winner will be announced on 19 May.
Image: India Hobson for Booker Prize Foundation
Main image: Angelica Zander
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