Geetanjali Shree's book, Tomb of Sand translated into English by Daisy Rockwell has made it to the Booker Prize Shortlist. This is the first instance of a Hindi work in translation to make it to the esteemed shortlist. The book is now going to compete with five other titles around the world to earn the final spot.
The English translation has been hailed as "loud and irresistible" by the judges.
“It is recognition of a very special kind. When a work appeals to unknown people sitting in faraway places, then it must have the ability to transcend its specific cultural context and touch the universal and the human,” Shree said in a statement. The prize money is a whoping GBP 50,000 prize, which will be split equally between the author and translator.
The six shortlisted novels are each translated from a different language and originate from a different country, with three continents represented on the list, said the announcement. The 2022 shortlist includes previous winners Olga Tokarczuk and Jennifer Croft alongside authors translated into English for the first time. The shortlist spans six languages: Korean, Norwegian, Japanese, Spanish, Hindi and Polish.
The other five titles include, Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, translated by Anton Hur from Korean; A New Name: Septology VI-VII by Jon Fosse, translated by Damion Searls from Norwegian; Heaven by Mieko Kawakami, translated by Samuel Bett and David Boyd from Japanese; Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro, translated by Frances Riddle from Spanish; and The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Jennifer Croft from Polish.
About The Author
An author of three novels and several short story collections Shree was born in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh. Her works have been translated into several international languages.
The 64-year-old novelist currently resides in New Delhi. Tomb of Sand was initially published in Hindi in 2018 under the title "Ret Samadhi". The English Pen Award was given to this book as well.
About the Translator
Daisy Rockwell, her translator, is a Vermont-based painter, writer and translator who has translated a number of classic Hindi and Urdu writings.
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The novel is set in northern India, and it tells the story of an 80-year-old woman who falls into severe despair after her husband dies, then emerges with a new lease of life.
The winner will be announced on May 26.
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