The highly anticipated International Booker Prize 2022 longlist has been revealed and this year the list includes a plethora of incredible books from all over the world. The thirteen selected books have been translated from 11 languages and 12 countries and the list includes a piece translated from Hindi for the first time.

The International Booker Prize is renowned for its celebration of translated fiction and the prize gives equal recognition to the authors and the translators, with the £50,000 prize being split equally. The award celebrates perspectives, narratives, cultures, and characters from all over the globe.

Whilst the translation of English books has been popular throughout time, the reverse has never been as sought after for various reasons. In recent times however, the demand for translated and foreign fiction has risen and has been gaining popularity. One only has to look briefly at the Instagram book community, or ‘bookstagram’, before noticing that foreign writers such as Murakami, Ishiguro and Fernanda Melchor come up as recommended reads time and time again.

The task of translating a literary piece of work should not be underestimated. How does one effectively translate nuances specific to the initial language in which it was originally written? What about colloquial or slang terms? As for the flow of writing, do translators stick to the original and literal translation or do they slightly alter it to produce a mesmerising, more agreeable read? So much has to be considered when translating a book into another language and it can only be considered an art form.

This year’s five judges certainly had a serious task on their hands however, after months of consideration and deliberation, they have whittled down the selection to just 13 books for the longlist. Frank Wynne, the chair of the 2022 judges, referred to the experience “as a kind of heaven”.

Here is the thrilling International Booker Prize longlist, all of which should be added to your reading list immediately. The shortlist of just six books will be announced on April 7th and the final winner will be revealed on the 26th May – a date for your diary.