A busy week began with a visit to the Speranza tent in Merrion Square Park, the venue for the Literary Village of the Dublin International Literature Festival, which ends today.
French author Alice Zeniter and Irish translator Frank Wynne have been declared winners of the Dublin Literary Award 2022, sponsored by Dublin City Council, for their novel The art of losing (Picador, Pan Macmillan). Zeniter receives €75,000, while Wynne, also winner in 2002 for his translation of Michel Houellebecq Atomized, receives €25,000.
I missed the celebratory dinner later at the Mansion House because I had a date with the wonderful Waal kit to discuss his upcoming memoirs Without warning and only sometimes (Tinder Press, August).
There’s a lot to look forward to in the world of books as a couple of publishing giants have previewed their fall offerings. On Tuesday, Vintage announced new work from Ian McEwan, Irvine Welsh, Helen Mort et al. On Thursday night, the HarperCollins team treated us to prosecco and popcorn at the Lighthouse Cinema as they watched the impending releases of Charlie Bird, Rory Hearne and Fergal Keane.
Ian Rankin, Anthony Horowitz and Louise Phillips are among the starred list of ambassadors of National Criminal Reading Month (NCRM), a major initiative to celebrate the genre and encourage new readers. In partnership with UK charity The Reading Agency and led by Crime Writers’ Association board member, our very own Sam Blake, NCRM will launch on June 1.
Events are taking place simultaneously at Hodges Figgis, Dublin, Cork City Library and Waterstone’s London Piccadilly branch. Learn more about crimereading.com.
Next Wednesday also sees the dashing Dominic West open Listowel Writers Week at 8 p.m. when the prizes and awards are announced (full program at writersweek.ie). And on these pages, see you next Sunday for our definitive guide to the best book festivals of the summer.
