The Mookse and the Gripes discussion

Here is the shortlist for this US prize for French books in English translation

Disoriental
The Order of the Day
The Perfect Nanny
Small Country
Waiting for Tomorrow

https://www.albertine.com/albertine-p...

The prize is a bit small to warrant its own topic but it didn't really fit with French book prizes. I read 4 and all were worth the read I thought, and it fits right in with the other translated prizes this spring. The website has sample downloads and voting.

Thanks Sam for posting that

Interestingly 3 books there a lot of us were expecting to see on the MBI list. I've only read Disoriental (which is excellent) and The Perfect Nanny / Lullaby (which I enjoyed a lot but is rather more lightweight).

Which 4 have you read (or - easier - which haven't you read)?

Paul wrote: "Thanks Sam for posting that

Interestingly 3 books there a lot of us were expecting to see on the MBI list. I've only read Disoriental (which is excellent) and The Perfect Nanny / Lullaby (which I ..."

I prefer books that accomplish much in few pages, and that is reflected in my list.
1. Small Country--- my choice
2. The Order of the Day-- controversial, thought-provoking
3. Disoriental--- The last section tailed but exchangeable with #2
4. The Perfect Nanny/Lullaby---Not my favorite but better than expected read.
I haven't read Waiting For Tomorrow.

Thanks. I'd have
1 Disoriental
2 TPN/Lullaby

I must get round to Small Country

Wasn't Lullaby eligible for last year's MBI (I seem to remember it being tipped - to my slight incredulity - last year not this year?).

Gumble's Yard wrote: "Wasn't Lullaby eligible for last year's MBI (I seem to remember it being tipped - to my slight incredulity - last year not this year?)."

You are correct

Yes it was Disoriental, Small Country and Order of the Day that were all hotly tipped for the MBI this year.

Misread post. See what you meant now.

The winner is Disoriental: Negar Djavadi
Congratulations! for a win against strong competition.

2020 shortlist out

Animalia
“Muslim”: A Novel
Vernon Subutex 1
Kannjawou: A Novel of Haiti
Hold Fast Your Crown: A Novel

I've read first three - and am definitely in Team Animalia. "Muslim"; A Novel was though an impressive achievement. And the least said about Vernon the better (although the translator did give me a nice tshirt).

Two Frank Wynne translations to go with his OBE to compensate him for not getting an OBE!!

Thanks Paul,

Oh dear have just made a right fool of myself on twitter - was pointing out Frank W did two of the translations (the website actually has the authors translating two of the books themselves) and muddled him and Mr Hahn up and congratulated him on his OBE

Without having read any of the other books I still feel confident saying that Animalia should win. I can’t imagine a better book in translation.

Last year of the four I read, three seemed worthy to win. This year I am not as enthused. I have only read Animalia and Vernon Subutex 1. While I enjoyed them, they had flaws. Animalia got silly toward the end and like with many modern novels, I felt the ending far inferior to the beginning. Vernon Subutex 1 had a similar problem and became less controlled as it progressed but since it was the first of a trilogy, I did not seem as bothered. I have been doing a poor job of keeping up with books this year so though I would like to read the rest, I am not sure I will.

Hold Fast Your Crown is the work I would probably enjoy most from the sample I read-- Zany postmodernism filled with allusions and theory. I am thinking this will make the BTBA since it has strong U.S. allusions, and am going to hold off reading it for a bit. I also want to read it in tandem with Kaufman's Antkind since both are postmoderns with film as a driving force.

Kannjawou, I will read, for the simple reason it is short. I did not gather much from my sample but like the style and since Black Spartacus: The Epic Life of Toussaint Louverture from the Baillie Gifford shortlist, is something I have and want to read, those two would make a good tandem on Haiti.

Muslim, I sampled and discarded and perhaps will revisit, but I found it fitting hot topics of popularity, feminism and diversity, and I am the feeling the negative effects of oversaturation with not only too many similar books, but with too many books being published because the topics are popular without regard to their quality. That doesn't mean this one isn't worth reading but I was waiting for it to gain more support before I tried it.

Well I never got to Hold Fast Your Crown, but I read the others. Kannjawou was my favorite since it offered an interesting picture of Haiti. I linked the voting page in case anyone wants to support a favorite.

https://www.albertine.com/albertine-p...

Winner for 2020 was Muslim.

I'd have liked to see Animalia win - I think it had the most powerful English prose of any novel I read in the last couple of years.

Muslim was impressive though - just an awful lot going on in 100 pages

Incidentally the voting system bars non-US voters (and enforces this via your internet location) so I couldn't vote.

I voted Kannjawou because it was a novel read for me but I agree Muslim was worthy.

2021 list out: This list has a sensual almost erotic feel to it. I have read none but sampled them today. It is not what I usually read but would be an interesting palate cleanser.

And Their Children After Them Nicolas Mathieu translator William Rodamor

Arcadia Emmanuelle Bayamack-Tam translator Ruth Diver

The Bridgetower Sonata: Sonata Mulattica Emmanuel Dongala translator Marjolijn De Jager

The Mediterranean Wall Louis-Philippe Dalembert translator Marjolijn De Jager

They Say Sarah Pauline Delabroy-Allard translator Adriana Hunter

2021 Winner: And Their Children After Them