(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM)) A total of 16 novels were selected yesterday from 180 entries received from 15 countries, all published within the last 12 months, for the final list of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, IPAF.
The 2015 longlisted authors come from nine different countries, with the highest numbers from Lebanon and Egypt, with three authors a piece.
A number of this year's longlisted authors have appeared on previous IPAF longlists and shortlists. Two writers have been previously shortlisted: Jabbour Douaihy for "The Vagrant" (2012) and June Rain (2008) and Jana Elhassan for "Me, She and the Other Women" (2013). Amongst the authors previously longlisted are: Antoine Douaihy, "The Bearer of the Purple Rose" (2014); Maha Hassan, "Umbilical Cord" (2011), and Ashraf al-Khamaisi, "God's Land of Exile" (2014). One of the longlisted authors, Mohammed Berrada, is a former judge of the Prize, having been on the panel in its inaugural year, 2008.
Five women appear on the longlist, the highest number so far. 11 women have been longlisted for the Prize since 2009, the first year a longlist was released.
The books were selected by a panel of five judges, who will be announced in Casablanca, Morocco, on Friday 13th February at the same time as the announcement of the 2015 shortlist, coinciding with the Casablanca International Book Fair.
The 2015 Chair of Judges commented on the longlist, saying, "This year, the number of novels submitted for the prize was the highest in its history. With 180 books to consider, it was certainly a challenge to decide on just 16 books, but this varied list showcases writers from a range of artistic schools and generations. Some titles are first novels, others are by more established writers. However, our focus in choosing this longlist was the books themselves rather than their authors." This is the eighth year of the Prize, which is recognised as the leading prize for literary fiction in the Arab world. Delivering on its aim to increase the international reach of Arabic fiction, the Prize has guaranteed English translations for all of its winners: Bahaa Taher (2008), Youssef Ziedan (2009), Abdo Khal (2010), joint winners Mohammed Achaari and Raja Alem (2011), Rabee Jaber (2012), Saud Alsanousi (2013) and Ahmed Saadawi (2014).
The winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction 2015 will be announced at an awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday 6th May, the eve of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. The six shortlisted finalists will receive $10,000, with a further $50,000 going to the winner.
The International Prize for Arabic Fiction is an annual literary prize for prose fiction in Arabic. It is run with the support of the Booker Prize Foundation in London and funded by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority in the UAE.
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