Pakistani writer Mohsin Hamid’s latest novel, “How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia”, has been shortlisted for Germany’s International Literature Award.
“I’m thrilled for ‘How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia’ to be shortlisted,” Hamid told Dawn.
The International Literary Award is the biggest prize for foreign literature that has been translated into German. This year 81 participating German-language publishers submitted a total of 154 titles, whose authors hail from 64 countries and write in 27 languages.
“How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia” has been translated by German translator Eike Schönfeld.
“Germany has a vibrant literary culture. I believe translators are enormously important, and it makes me very happy to see my excellent German translator Eike Schönfeld being recognised for his work on the novel as well,” said Hamid.
A jury of literature critics, translators, culture journalists, and authors reviewed the nominated books. A total of six books, including “How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia,” have been shortlisted for the prize.
The criteria for the award are to select the year’s best work of fiction translated into German, revealing how world literature is evolving today.
The International Literature Award is accompanied by €25,000 for the winning author and €10,000 for the winning translator.
The winner will be announced later next week and the shortlisted authors and winners will be honoured at a ceremony in Berlin on July 3.
Hamid is also the author of the novels ‘Moth Smoke’ and ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’. His book, ‘How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia’, also won Italy’s Terzani Prize for International Literature last month.
