2009 Nike Award Shortlist

Last week they announced the shortlist for the prestigious NIKE Award, which will be awarded on October 4th. The shortlist:

• The Flypaper Factory, Andrzej Bart (WAB)
  The writer narrates the imaginary Łódź trial of Chaim Rumkowski, chairman of the Judenrat in the Łódź Ghetto.

• Bambino, Inga Iwasiów (Świat Książki)
  Iwasiów ponders on the identity of the German and Polish town and presents a panorama of the whole of People’s Poland, from World War II until 1981.

• Gestures, Ignacy Karpowicz (Wydawnictwo Literackie)
  A new novel from the author of Niehalo [“Uncool”] and Cud [“The Miracle”]. Grzegorz arrives in his provincial native parts to see his ill, aging mother and realizes they have little in common.

• Ostrogski Palace, Tomasz Piątek (WAB)
  The author himself says: “It’s a book about someone trying to disentangle himself from being a thing and returning to humanity, being reborn. Having a choice in life.” Personal memories are mingled here with essays and the fantasy of novels.

• Queen of Tiramisu, Bohdan Sławiński (Jacek Santorski)
  The protagonist of Bohdan Sławiński’s novel is Peter, or rather Petey—a delicate, sensitive and tender person. The thoughtful boy gets involved with a mature, well-off married woman.

• A Song About Dependences and Addictions, Eugeniusz Tkaczyszyn-Dycki (Biuro Literackie)
  A new book of poetry from the author of the volumes Kamień pełen pokarmu [“A Stone Full of Nourishment”], Dzieje rodzin polskich [“A History of Polish Families”], winner of the Gdynia Literary Prize.

• Turul Goulash, Krzysztof Varga (Czarne)
  Varga’s previous novel, Nagrobek z lastryko [“Terrazzo Tombstone”], was about Polish history and symbols; now, in this volume of essays, Varga turns to the Hungarians.

I’m disappointed that Jerzy Pilch’s March Polonia didn’t make the cut (he was on the longlist), but they seem to have a pretty good cross-section of work represented here.

Go to culture.pl for more information.