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132 In Running For IMPAC Awards
By CAROLE GOLDBERG
Courant Books Editor
November 22, 2005
The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award has announced the books eligible for its 11th annual award. A list of finalists will be announced April 5 and the award will be made June 14 in Dublin. The winner receives $100,000 in euros, or about $120,000.
Nominees for the 2006 award total 132, which includes 32 translated works and 15 in languages other than English. Novels written in any language but first published in English in 2004 are eligible.
Nominations are made by libraries - this year 180 library systems from 124 cities in 43 countries participated, including the Hartford Public Library. The books it suggested for the award are "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson, "Heir To The Glimmering World" by Cynthia Ozick and "The Master," by Colm Toibin.
Last year's award went to an American author, Edward P. Jones, for his novel "The Known World."
Toibin's book, which is about American writer Henry James, received the most nominations - 17. Robinson's novel garnered 14, followed by "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon with 13, "Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell with 11 and "Jonathan Strange &Mr. Norrell" by Susanna Clarke with 9.
Among the other books nominated for the 2006 award are "Eventide" by Kent Haruf, "I Am Charlotte Simmons" by Tom Wolfe, "Oh, Play That Thing" by Irish writer Roddy Doyle and "Snow" by Turkish author Orhan Pahmuk.
The award program, begun in 1994 by then-Lord Mayor of Dublin Gay Mitchell and James B. Irwin, chairman of IMPAC, which stands for Improved Management Productivity and Control, a Florida-based international productivity enhancement company. IMPAC and Irish embassies also sponsor Young Writers programs in many countries. In Connecticut, it joins with the State University system to sponsor the IMPAC-State University Young Writers Award program, whose winners attend, with a parent, the annual awards ceremonies in Dublin.
Copyright 2005, Hartford Courant