Man Booker International Prize 2018 longlist

In 2016 the Man Booker International Prize (MBIP) changed from a biennial prize that honored the lifetime work of a writer whose works were translated into English, into an annual award that featured the best non-English language novels that were translated into English and published in the UK, with the award being split equally between the author and the translator. The MBIP replaced the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, and similar to the format of the Man Booker Prize a longlist of 12-13 books is released, followed by a six book shortlist, and the winning novel was announced in a ceremony in London.

The 2018 MBIP longlist was announced earlier today, 12 March. The following format lists the author, her or his country of origin, the translator, the title of the novel, and the UK publisher:

• Laurent Binet (France), Sam Taylor, The 7th Function of Language (Harvill Secker)

• Javier Cercas (Spain), Frank Wynne, The Impostor (MacLehose Press)

• Virginie Despentes (France), Frank Wynne, Vernon Subutex 1 (MacLehose Press)

• Jenny Erpenbeck (Germany), Susan Bernofsky, Go, Went, Gone (Portobello Books)

• Han Kang (South Korea), Deborah Smith, The White Book (Portobello Books)

• Ariana Harwicz (Argentina), Sarah Moses & Carolina Orloff, Die, My Love (Charco Press)

• László Krasznahorkai (Hungary), John Batki, Ottilie Mulzet & George Szirtes, The World Goes On (Tuskar Rock Press)

• Antonio Muñoz Molina (Spain), Camilo A. Ramirez, Like a Fading Shadow (Tuskar Rock Press)

• Christoph Ransmayr (Austria), Simon Pare, The Flying Mountain (Seagull Books)

• Ahmed Saadawi (Iraq), Jonathan Wright, Frankenstein in Baghdad (Oneworld)

• Olga Tokarczuk (Poland), Jennifer Croft, Flights (Fitzcarraldo Editions)

• Wu Ming-Yi (Taiwan), Darryl Sterk, The Stolen Bicycle (Text Publishing)

• Gabriela Ybarra (Spain), Natasha Wimmer, The Dinner Guest (Harvill Secker)

The shortlist will be announced on 12 April, and the winning novel on 22 May.

Go, Went, Gone is my favorite book of 2018 so far. I read and enjoyed The White Book last year, and I'm halfway through The Impostor. I enjoyed reading MBIP longlisted books in 2016 and 2017, so I'll read as many of this year's International Booker Dozen as I can during the next few months.

Thanks for initiating this, Darryl! I'm on board! At least half of the selections are headed to my local library. That should carry me through to the short list announcement.

Right now I'm just planning to read 2, The White Book and Go, Went, Gone which has been on my shelf for 2.5 years - that one's planned for April.

The shortlist:
• Virginie Despentes (France), Frank Wynne, Vernon Subutex 1 (MacLehose Press)

• Han Kang (South Korea), Deborah Smith, The White Book (Portobello Books)

• László Krasznahorkai (Hungary), John Batki, Ottilie Mulzet & George Szirtes, The World Goes On (Tuskar Rock Press)

• Antonio Muñoz Molina (Spain), Camilo A. Ramirez, Like a Fading Shadow (Tuskar Rock Press)

• Ahmed Saadawi (Iraq), Jonathan Wright, Frankenstein in Baghdad (Oneworld)

• Olga Tokarczuk (Poland), Jennifer Croft, Flights (Fitzcarraldo Editions)

Flights by Olga Tokarczuk is the winner of this year's Man Booker International Prize. I'll buy and read it later this year.