Mariana Enríquez, nominated for a new international award

The storybook The dangers of smoking in bed, the writer Mariana Enriquez, the same text for which a few months ago I aspired to the prestigious International Booker Prize, now includes the list of works nominated for the Premio kirkus, a prize endowed with $ 50,000, the winning decision of which will be announced on October 28 in Austin, United States.

In its English translation by Megan McDowell, The dangers of smoking in bed was defined in June of this year by Kirkus Reviews -the publication which awards the prize- “insidiously absorbing, like quicksand.” In this book, through twelve gothic and horror stories, Enriquez creates a metaphorical atmosphere on current issues and problems.

“Well, I know today the subject is different, but I am nominated for this award with Megan McDowell. It is also Joy Williams it is therefore totally impossible for her to win it, ”the Argentinian writer and journalist, author of the award-winning novel, said on her Twitter account. Our part at night and the book The things we lost in the fire, which will soon have one of the stories adapted for audiovisual format.

Endowed with a generous sum for a literary competition, $ 50,000, the prize Kirkus is awarded annually in three categories – fiction, non-fiction and children’s literature – and is powered by the magazine Kirkus Reviews, a journal and literary review publication that annually lists between 8,000 and 10,000 books from around the world, ten percent of which receive a star of recognition. On this Kirkus Star, six finalists are chosen in each category.

“This year’s list of finalists is as exceptional as any we’ve seen,” said the editor of Kirkus Reviews, Tom beer. “Our judges examined a remarkably diverse field and identified the books that deserve the most readership possible. This has always been our mission in Kirkus and we are delighted to promote it with this year’s awards, ”he said, quoted on the publication’s website.

With the book of Enriquez, aspire to the fiction category WEB Du Bois love songs, of Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, the novel which became an editorial success after being selected in the book club of Oprah winfrey; too Harlem Shuffle of Colson Whitehead; Harrow of Joy Williams; My Monticello of Jocelyn Nicole Johnson and Bubble of Pajtim Statovci.

For The dangers of smoking in bed, the Argentinian author was selected from the shortlist of writers aspiring to the prestigious International Booker Prize 2021, which was eventually taken by the French David Diop. “The dangers of smoking in bed it represents a place of learning as a writer. And I also see clearly how at that time I was already choosing things: poverty, vulnerable children, the city, family trauma, women’s bodies (…) Today, a decade later and with the translations involved, I can see how they are connected, that they are making a book, ”the author said in a lecture last May about his nomination for the Booker.

The three winning works of the Kirkus will be unveiled on October 28 at a ceremony to be held at Austin Central Library, Texas, United States.

Source: Telam

KEEP READING: