site.btaGeorgi Gospodinov's "Time Shelter" Shortlisted for Swedish International Literature Prize

Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov's novel Time Shelter, translated into Swedish by Hanna Sandborgh for the Ersatz publisher, is on a short list of five books nominated for the 2024 International Literature Prize given by Sweden's Kulturhuset Stadsteatern, the City Theatre Cultural Centre said on its website.

Kulturhuset Stadsteatern said: "The prize is awarded annually to an outstanding work of fiction in commendable Swedish translation. It is a unique literary award that rewards authors as well as translators. The prize money, which is SEK 150,000, is divided equally between author and translator. The winning duo will be chosen on October 24."

Gospodinov wrote on Facebook that this is the first novel translated from Bulgarian into Swedish since 1978 and Hanna Sandborgh's first translation from Bulgarian. He is confident that many more Bulgarian authors will be published in Sweden from now on.

Athena Farrokhzad, chairman of the jury and program manager for literature at Kulturhuset Stadsteatern, said: "It has been a strong year for translated publishing. Among many fine titles, we have selected five fantastic books that stand out due to their stylistic luminosity and thematic concern."

The nominees are:

Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov (Bulgaria), translation by Hanna Sandborgh, Ersatz;

What are you looking for, Wolf? by Eva Vezjnavets (Belarus/Poland), translation by Krystsina Banduryna and Mikael Nydahl, Ersatz;

All Your Scattered Children by Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse (Rwanda/France), translation by Nils Wadström, Ordfront publishing house;

Herscht 07769 by László Krasznahorkai (Hungary), translation by Daniel Gustafsson, Norstedts;

To Be several by Steinar Opstad (Norway), translation by Marie Lundquist, Ellerströms.

Time Shelter was awarded the International Booker Prize in 2023.