Home 5 News 5 ‘Kairos’ Claims Victory at International Booker Prize 2024

‘Kairos’ Claims Victory at International Booker Prize 2024

by | May 23, 2024 | News

The 2024 International Booker Prize has been claimed by “Kairos,” a poignant German novel delving into a tumultuous love affair set in 1980s Germany. Authored by Jenny Erpenbeck and masterfully translated by Michael Hofmann, this literary gem captivates readers with its exploration of love against the backdrop of political turmoil.

 

Eleanor Watchel, chair of the judging panel, commended the novel’s adept intertwining of personal narrative with the broader historical context of East Germany. She lauded how the protagonists’ inward journey mirrors the tumultuous era they inhabit, offering a unique lens into the intricacies of the time.

 

Erpenbeck, once an esteemed opera director, has garnered acclaim for her literary prowess since her debut novel, “The Old Child and The Book of Words,” in 2008. Her previous nomination for the International Booker Prize in 2018, with “Go, Went, Gone,” further solidified her status as a literary luminary, earning praise from prominent publications such as NPR, The New York Times, and The New Yorker, with many tipping her for future Nobel Prize recognition.

 

Michael Hofmann, a distinguished poet and essayist, emerges as the first male translator to clinch the coveted award. Renowned for his transformative translations from German to English, which include works by luminaries like Franz Kafka and Hans Fallada, Hofmann’s unparalleled skill in revitalizing authors’ legacies has earned him global acclaim. Described as “arguably the world’s most influential translator of German into English”.

 

Related Posts

Lords Defend Artists in AI Clash

Lords Defend Artists in AI Clash

In the UK, the House of Lords has dealt a fourth defeat to the government over its plans to allow tech companies to use copyrighted material to train their models. The Lords, who are looking for more protections for artists from AI, rejected the latest amendment to...

THE LOOK by Michelle Obama Coming in November

THE LOOK by Michelle Obama Coming in November

Crown Publishing Group has announced the upcoming release of THE LOOK, a new book by former First Lady Michelle Obama, set to hit shelves on November 4, 2025.   The book will be available in hardcover and eBook editions from Crown, with an audiobook version, narrated...

HarperCollins Bets on Fauzia Musa

HarperCollins Bets on Fauzia Musa

Juniper, the new literary fiction imprint of Harper Collins UK, has acquired the debut novel by award-winning journalist and design consultant Fauzia Musa that explores the lasting impact of Partition through the lens of one Muslim family.   Entitled The Strangling...

Previous Next
Close
Test Caption
Test Description goes like this