The prize was launched in 2017 by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in partnership with the British Council and the London Book Fair.
The three shortlisted titles were announced on 06 March 2018. They are:
- All the World’s a Stage by Boris Akunin (translated by Andrew Bromfield) (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)
- Belladonna by Daša Drndic (translated by Celia Hawkesworth) (Maclehose/ Quercus)
- Istanbul Istanbul by Burhan Sönmez (translated by Ümit Hussein) (Telegram Books)
The EBRD Literature Prize is meant to recognise and promote the extraordinary richness, depth and variety of culture and history in the countries in which the Bank invests. The Prize sets out to underscore the importance of the writer in reflecting the aspirations and challenges facing people across this varied region. No less important, the Prize is meant to acknowledge the talent and vital role played by the translator in making the stories from these countries accessible to the English-speaking public.
The EBRD Literature Prize acknowledges a translated work of literary fiction written originally in any language from an EBRD country of operations and published by a UK publisher. The first prize of €20,000 is equally divided between the winning author and translator. Two runners-up and their translators received a prize of €1,000 each. All three finalists and their translators were invited to London to participate in an award ceremony and discussion at EBRD headquarters on 10 April 2018.
Photo by European Bank for Reconstruction and Development