The shortlist of the 2010 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award

The shortlist of 8 titles was selected from a total of 156 novels nominated by 163 public library systems in 123 cities worldwide and includes Netherland by Irish author Joseph O’Neill. The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award is the world’s most prestigious literary prize nominated by public libraries world-wide.
The titles were nominated by nominated by public libraries in Ireland, Austria, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Russia, The Netherlands, South Africa, Brazil, the USA and Canada.
Once again an Irish title has been shortlisted, proof, if it were needed, that Irish contemporary fiction can hold its own on the worldwide stage. John Banville, Sebastian Barry, Ronan Bennett, Michael Collins, Patrick McCabe, Colum McCann and John McGahern have all been shortlisted since 1996. Colm Toibín has been shortlisted twice, and was the winner in 2006 for The Master.
The short listed titles are:

1. The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker (Dutch) in translation. Harvill Secker
2. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (French) in translation. Europa Editions, USA, Gallic Press, UK
3. In Zodiac Light by Robert Edric (British) Doubleday, UK
4. Settlement by Christoph Hein (German) in translation. Metropolitan Books
5. The Believers by Zoë Heller (British). Fig Tree
6. Netherland by Joseph O’Neill (Irish) Fourth Estate, HarperCollins, UK, Pantheon Books, USA
7. God’s Own Country by Ross Raisin (British) Viking
8. Home by Marilynne Robinson (American) Farrar, Straus & Giroux, USA, HarperCollins, Canada