Two of Ireland’s most acclaimed celebrations of the written word partner to announce the recipient of the prestigious DUBLIN Literary Award during ILFDublin. The DUBLIN Literary Award is the world's most valuable annual prize for a single work of fiction published in English, with the winner receiving €100,000. It is open to novels written in any language and by authors of any nationality, provided the book has been published in English or English translation. Uniquely, books are nominated by libraries in major cities throughout the world. It is sponsored solely by Dublin City Council, as is ILFDublin.

The 2021 Award winner will be chosen from a diverse and international shortlist of six which includes a novel in translation, an English language debut and a first-time novelist. The shortlist features writers from Ireland, Mexico, the UK and the USA. The 26th winner will be announced by the award patron, Lord Mayor Hazel Chu on Thursday 20th May, the opening day of ILFDublin.

All the nominated novels for the Dublin Literary Award 2021 are available for readers to borrow from public libraries or digital loan on BorrowBox:

·     Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo (British). Published by Hamish Hamilton Ltd. and Penguin Books Ltd. Nominated by libraries in Berlin, Germany and Waterford, Ireland.

·     Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli (Mexican) Published by Alfred A. Knopf and 4th Estate. Nominated by Vila de Gràcia Library, Barcelona, Spain.

·     Apeirogon by Colum McCann (Irish). Published by Bloomsbury Publishing. Nominated by South Dublin Libraries, Ireland.

·     Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor (Mexican). Translated from the Spanish by Sophie Hughes. Published by Fitzcarraldo Editions. Nominated by libraries in Canada, Mexico, and the USA.

·       On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong  (Vietnamese-American). Published by Jonathan Cape and Vintage. Nominated by libraries in Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the USA.

·     The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead (American). Published by Little Brown Book Group and Doubleday. Nominated by libraries in Belgium, and the USA.

Listen to each of the shortlisted authors and translators in conversation with Jessica Traynor and Maeve Higgins on the 2021 DUBLIN Literary Award Shortlist Podcast.  You can listen to Episode 1 featuring Colum McCann and Maeve Higgins HERE

Presented in partnership with the Dublin Literary Award, a Dublin City Council initiative.

DUBLIN Literary Award Winner Announcement