International Booker Prize 2024 Longlist Announced

The International Booker Prize, celebrating its tenth year, has announced its 2024 longlist, featuring 13 books. This prestigious prize recognizes the best translated fiction, with the winning author-translator pair splitting £50,000.

Notable Longlisted Authors and Works

Several authors who have previously been shortlisted for the prize are included on this year's longlist, showcasing a strong return of recognized talent:

• Olga Ravn (Denmark) for The Wax Child, translated by Martin Aitken, which addresses 17th-century Danish witch trials.
• Daniel Kehlmann (Germany) for The Director, translated by Ross Benjamin, inspired by filmmaker GW Pabst's collaboration with the Third Reich.
• Ia Genberg (Sweden) for Small Comfort, translated by Kira Josefsson, a collection of interconnected stories.
• Mathias Énard (France) for The Deserters, translated by Charlotte Mandell, marking Fitzcarraldo's 17th nomination.
• Gabriela Cabezón Cámara (Argentina) for We Are Green and Trembling, translated by Robin Myers, which won the US National Book Award for translated literature last year.

This year's longlist features a compelling mix of returning literary voices and fresh perspectives from around the globe.

Other Significant Titles

Beyond the previously shortlisted authors, several other significant titles have made the cut:

• The Witch by French writer Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan Stump, which also features witchcraft themes. NDiaye was previously longlisted in 2016.
• Women Without Men by Iranian writer Shahrnush Parsipur, translated by Faridoun Farrokh, originally published in 1989 and banned in Iran since then.
• She Who Remains, the debut novel by Bulgarian writer Rene Karabash, translated by Izidora Angel, published by Peirene Press.
• The Duke, a debut novel by Italian author Matteo Melchiorre, translated by Antonella Lettieri.
• The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran by German author Shida Bazyar, translated by Ruth Martin.
• The Remembered Soldier by Anjet Daanje, translated by David McKay.
• On Earth As It Is Beneath by Ana Paula Maia, translated by Padma Viswanathan.
• Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, translated by Lin King.

Judging Process and Themes

Judging chair Natasha Brown noted that many submitted books explored the consequences of war. The longlist also includes diverse themes such as neighborly disputes, mountain villages, pharmaceutical conspiracies, and ill-fated lovers. The selected books range widely in length and original publication dates, spanning four decades.

The longlist was chosen from 128 titles published in the UK or Ireland between May 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026.

Booker Prize Foundation chief executive Gaby Wood highlighted a record 34 original languages among submissions, indicating increasing availability of translated works.

Key Dates

• The shortlist of six books will be announced on March 31. Each shortlisted title will receive £5,000, split between the author and translator.
• The winner will be announced on May 19 at Tate Modern in London.

Judging Panel

The 2024 judging panel includes novelist Natasha Brown (chair), mathematician Marcus du Sautoy, translator Sophie Hughes, and writers Troy Onyango and Nilanjana S Roy.

Prize History

Last year's winner was Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi, the first short story collection to win the award. Previous winners include Han Kang and Olga Tokarczuk.

Four authors recognized by the International Booker Prize for a single book have later won the Nobel Prize for their body of work: Han, Tokarczuk, Jon Fosse, and László Krasznahorkai.