The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards 2015

The shortlist for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards 2015 is here and there are some gems among them!

2015 shortlist

Find out more: Ten books shortlisted for 2015 Award.

• Americanah Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• Horses of God Mahi Binebine
• Harvest Jim Crace
• The Narrow road to the deep north Richard Flanagan
• Burial Rites Hannah Kent
• K Bernardo Kucinski
• Brief loves that live forever Andreï Makine
• TransAtlantic Colum McCann
• Someone Alice McDermott
• Sparta Roxana Robinson

This award is presented every year for a novel written in English or translated into English and is now in its 20th year. Nominations are submitted by libraries in major cities throughout the world and it's fascinating to see what favourites other librarians have picked.

Christchurch City Libraries nominated three books:

• The Luminaries, Eleanor Catton (and to prove we're not just favouring our own, the list of other nominations comes from all around the world: Belgium, Canada, Croatia and the UK.)
• Life After Life, Kate Atkinson (also nominated by libraries in Australia, Canada, Beijing, Ireland, Russia, UK, USA.)
• The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt (also Austraia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, USA.)

Other libraries in New Zealand getting in on the action nominated:

• The Blind Man's Garden, Nadeem Aslam (Dunedin Public Libraries)
• The Last Days of the National Costume, Anne Kennedy (Auckland and Wellington City Libraries)
• The Infinite Air, Fiona Kidman (Auckland City Libraries)
• The Disestablishment of Paradise, Phillip Mann (Wellington City Libraries)

It's also really interesting to see what books are highly regarded by libraries all over the world.

• And the Mountains Echoed, Khaled Hosseini is hugely popular with nominations from Beijing, Tallin, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Russia, UK and the USA.
• Canada is particularly taken with The Orenda, Joseph Boyden, with seven different Canadian nominations.
• In Times of Fading Light, Eugen Ruge has been chosen by libraries in Hungary, Ireland and 4 nominations from Germany.
• Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi, with nominations from Canada, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, and the USA.
• A Tale for the Time Being, Ruth Ozeki, with nominations from Canada, Ireland, The Netherlands, and 4 from the USA.
• And nominations for Ghana Must Go, Taiye Selasi, a tale about 'the simple devastating ways in which families tear themselves apart' come from Belgium, Germany, South Africa, and the UK.

The final winner will be announced on the 17 June. Watch the official International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award website for details. Do you have a favourite among the nominees? Join the conversation.