IMPAC Longlist

The 2008 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award longlist was announced today, consisting of 137 titles vying for the €100,000 prize.

The Guardian has an interesting summary and breaks the list down a bit, pointing out that the longlist includes books from 45 countries and 15 languages, with 27 of the titles in translation.

Michelle Pauli also points out the odd timing of the IMPAC:

Aside from its remarkable diversity and considerable coffers, the Impac also stands out from the crowd for its long lead-time. Books first published in English between January and December 2005, or first published in a language other than English between January 2001 and December 2005, are eligible for consideration.

It’s really unusual for books to have a second chance in the spotlight, but since this is a library-centric award, it makes sense that longevity is favored over the “of the moment” quality present with other awards.

The shortlist will be announced in April 2008 and the winner in June, so if you’re motivated you could read a healthy chunk of these titles beforehand . . .