International Booker Prize 2024 winners, Jenny Erpenbeck and Michael Hofmann, discuss the impact of their win and future plans. Insights from administrator Fiammetta Rocco reveal the inner workings of the prize. The podcast delves into love and politics in East Germany, complex emotions towards German heritage, and reflections on the judging process for literary prizes.
Jenny Erpenbeck's novel 'Kairos' explores love, politics, truth, and disappointment in East Germany.
Translators play a crucial role in capturing the nuances of the English language from the original text.
Deep dives
Highlights of the International Booker Prize Ceremony 2024
The International Booker Prize ceremony in 2024 held at the Tate Modern in London was a glamorous and cozy event with a blend of red carpet elegance and relaxed atmosphere. The attendees enjoyed the exhibits at the venue along with the charming party downstairs, complete with canapés and gossip. The event featured well-dressed guests and influential personalities, creating a glamorous and fun-filled atmosphere. The ceremony also included the announcement of the prize winner, highlighting the excitement and celebration of literary achievements.
Insights from Winners - Jenny Erpenbeck and Michael Hoffman
The winners of the International Booker Prize, Jenny Erpenbeck and Michael Hoffman, shared their feelings of honor and surprise at receiving the prestigious award. Jenny Erpenbeck's winning book narrates a love story set against the backdrop of East Germany before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The narrative evolves from a personal love story to encompass broader themes of politics, truth, betrayal, and disappointment. Michael Hoffman, as the translator of the book, highlighted his role in capturing the subtleties of the English language to convey the nuanced themes of the original text.
Selection Process and Judging Panel Dynamics
The judging panel for the International Booker Prize faced the challenging task of reviewing 149 submissions, emphasizing the difficulty of choosing a winner from a pool of diverse literary works. The judges' discussions revolved around themes of history, memory, and personal connections, reflecting the depth and complexity of the shortlisted books. The importance of judges who actively listen, engage with different perspectives, and embrace the power of storytelling emerged as key criteria for selecting panelists. The role of translators in bridging language boundaries and preserving the essence of the original text was also highlighted during the selection process.
Reflections on the Book Prize Podcast and Appreciation for the Team
As the Book Prize Podcast concluded its season, hosts Joe Hamier and James Walton reflected on their journey and highlighted memorable episodes featuring renowned guests like George Saunders. The hosts expressed gratitude towards the producers for their support and management of the show, underscoring the collaborative efforts that made the podcast enjoyable. They shared personal favorite episodes, including discussions on DBC Pierre and previous shortlists, showcasing their passion for literary discourse. The farewell sign-off marked a bittersweet moment, concluding a successful season filled with engaging conversations and valuable insights.
Earlier this week, author Jenny Erpenbeck and translator Michael Hofmann were announced as the winners of the International Booker Prize 2024, for the novel, Kairos. Jenny and Michael join Jo and James to talk about whether their win has truly sunk in yet and what might be next, and administrator of the International Booker Prize, Fiammetta Rocco also joins to give some insight into how the prize works. It's our last episode of this season of The Booker Prize Podcast so make sure you don't miss this one – but all our previous episodes will continue to be available so you can listen whenever you want.
Find out more about Kairos: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/kairos
A full transcript of the episode is available at our website.
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