Best Translated Book Award 2015: Clues to the Fiction Longlist [Part One]

On Tuesday, April 7th, one week from tomorrow, we’ll be announcing this year’s Best Translated Book Award longlists for both Fiction and Poetry. I’m going to unveil the poetry longlist at 10am, and the fiction one precisely at noon. (Eastern time. Because as much as I dislike East Coast Bias, our time zone is clearly the most important.) So, get ready. I think these lists are going to generate a lot of discussion . . .

As in years past, we’ll be highlighting all of the titles with special “Why This Book Should Win” posts, giving judges and readers a chance to cheer on particular titles, and explain what it was about these individual books that makes them so special. These are some of my favorite posts of the year, so personally, I’m really looking forward to that.

But, also as in years past, I want to make a game out of all of this . . . Over the next five days, I’ll provide a series of clues about the two longlists (mostly the fiction one), and if you’re able to guess—on your first try, with no mulligans or reversals of opinion—all of the books on one of the two lists (25 for fiction, 10 for poetry), then I’ll give you a life-long subscription to Open Letter. Only one person can win this, and all you have to do is send your complete set of guesses to chad.post [at] rochester [dot] edu before Sunday, April 5th at 8pm EDT, and I’ll respond by telling you how many you have correct. First one to get all 25/10 wins.

(Next Monday I’ll post a list of “Honorable Mention” titles, which is why you have to get your guesses in by Sunday. And before 8pm because that’s when Opening Night kicks off for the St. Louis Cardinals and I have priorities.)

So, here’s your first set of clues. Really basic information:

• There are nine languages represented in the list of twenty-five longlisted fiction titles. The top three languages made up seventeen of the total books.

• There are sixteen different places of origin with a book on the list. The top three locations make up eleven of the total titles.

More clues tomorrow.