Dublin City Council has unveiled the shortlist for the 2025 Dublin Literary Award, marking the 30th anniversary of what is considered the world’s most valuable annual prize for a single work of fiction published in English. With a prize fund of €100,000—€75,000 for the author and €25,000 for the translator in case of a translated work—the award continues to champion literary excellence from around the world.
The 2025 shortlist features six novels that reflect a rich tapestry of voices and cultures. Two of the selected books are translations, one from Spanish and one from Dutch, while the shortlisted authors hail from Argentina, the Netherlands, Canada, Ireland, and the United States. Nominations come not from publishing houses or literary agents, but from a global network of public libraries—an approach that sets the Dublin Literary Award apart from other major literary prizes.
A Global Literary Snapshot
The six shortlisted novels are:
- Not a River by Selva Almada (Argentina), translated from Spanish by Annie McDermott. Published by Charco Press. Nominated by Biblioteca Daniel Cosío Villegas, El Colegio de México, Mexico.
- We Are Light by Gerda Blees (Netherlands), translated from Dutch by Michele Hutchison. Published by World Editions NY LLC. Nominated by Bibliotheek Utrecht, the Netherlands.
- The Adversary by Michael Crummey (Canada). Published by Alfred A. Knopf Canada. Nominated by Newfoundland & Labrador Public Libraries, Canada.
- James by Percival Everett (United States). Published by Doubleday (Penguin Random House US); Mantle (Pan Macmillan UK). Nominated by Miami-Dade Public Library and The Seattle Public Library, United States.
- Prophet Song by Paul Lynch (Ireland). Published by Oneworld Publications (UK); Atlantic Monthly Press (US). Nominated by Jamaica Library Service, Jamaica.
- North Woods by Daniel Mason (United States). Published by John Murray Press (UK); Random House (US). Nominated by Iowa City Public Library, United States; Municipal Library of Prague, Czechia.
This diverse list includes both established literary voices and bold, innovative storytellers. The themes explored in the selected novels are equally far-reaching, delving into issues of power, corruption, historical trauma, identity, personal and political resistance, and even ghostly presences.
Literature in Translation Takes the Stage
Two of the six titles are translated works, highlighting the award’s commitment to making literature from non-English-speaking countries accessible to a wider readership. Selva Almada’s Not a River and Gerda Blees’ We Are Light bring Latin American and Dutch perspectives to the global stage, thanks to the work of their translators, Annie McDermott and Michele Hutchison. If either title wins, the translators will receive a substantial €25,000, a testament to the award’s recognition of translation as a creative and literary art form in itself.
Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence
Speaking about the anniversary, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Emma Blain, praised the international scope of this year’s list:
“As we celebrate 30 years of the Dublin Literary Award, it is heartening to see that the broad scope of the award still persists, with a shortlist that includes nominations from public libraries in Canada, Jamaica, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United States. The 2025 winner will be chosen from an inspiring shortlist that includes two novels in translation and explores themes of power, corruption, manipulation, bravery, ghosts from the past, and a reimagining of a literary classic.”
Dublin City Librarian Mairead Owens added:
“Our judging panel have had the unenviable task of choosing 6 titles from a stellar list of 71 books, and yet again they don’t disappoint. I would encourage our library members to reserve copies of the shortlist from their local library and choose their particular favourite before the announcement of the winner on 22nd May.”
The Panel Behind the Prize
The 2025 international judging panel is composed of distinguished literary professionals from across the globe. Members include:
- Gerbrand Bakker, Dutch author and winner of the Dublin Literary Award in 2010
- Martina Devlin, Irish novelist and columnist
- Fiona Sze-Lorrain, poet, translator, and musician based in Paris
- Prof. Leonard Cassuto, American literature scholar and literary journalist
- Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe, poet and editor based in Dublin
The non-voting chairperson is Professor Chris Morash, the Seamus Heaney Professor of Irish Writing at Trinity College Dublin.
The winner will be announced by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Emma Blain, on Thursday 22nd May 2025 during the International Literature Festival Dublin (ILFD), which runs from 16th to 25th May in Merrion Square Park. Until then, readers can explore the shortlist through Dublin City Libraries or access eBook and eAudiobook versions via the BorrowBox app.
