Koko News | Arts | 29 Jul 2025

Indian author Kiran Desai up for Booker Prize with long-awaited novel

IndianauthorKiranDesai, whowontheBookerPrizeandthendidn’tpublishanovelforalmosttwodecades, isupfortheawardagainwithherlong-awaitedfollow-up.

印度作家基蘭‧德賽曾獲布克獎，但之後近二十年沒有出版小說，如今她帶著備受期待的續集再次角逐該獎。

“TheLonelinessofSoniaandSunny,” the677-pagetaleoftwoyoungIndiansmakingtheirwayintheUnitedStates, isoneof13booksannouncedTuesdayassemifinalistsfortheprestigious 50,000-pound ($67,000) prize.

《索妮亞與桑尼的孤獨》長達 677 頁，講述了兩個印度年輕人在美國求學的故事。該書是周二宣布的 13 本入圍該項聲望頗高的 5 萬英鎊（6.7 萬美元）獎項半決賽的書籍之一。

Thecontendersincludeauthorsfromninecountriesonfourcontinents.

參賽者包括來自四大洲九個國家的作家。

It’sDesai’sfirstnovelsince“TheInheritanceofLoss,” whichwontheBookerin 2006.

這是德賽自 2006 年榮獲布克獎的《失落的遺產》以來的第一部小說。

Twopreviousfinalistsareupfortheprizeagain: U.K. writer AndrewMiller, for“TheLandinWinter,” andHungarian-BritishwriterDavidSzalayfor“Flesh.”

兩位先前入圍決賽的作家再次角逐該獎項：英國作家安德魯·米勒 (Andrew Miller) 的小說《冬日的土地》和匈牙利裔英國作家大衛·紹洛伊 (David Szalay) 的小說《肉體》。

TashAwwillbethefirstMalaysianwinnerifhetakestheprizefor“TheSouth.”

如果塔什·奧憑藉《南方》獲獎，他將成為馬來西亞首位獲獎者。

FiveofthecontendersarefromBritain, includingauthorslikeNatashaBrown, JonathanBuckley, andBenjaminWood.

其中五位候選人來自英國，包括娜塔莎布朗、喬納森巴克利和班傑明伍德等作家。

Booksby U.S. writers intherunningincludeSusanChoi’s“Flashlight,” KatieKitamura’s“Audition”andBenMarkovits’“TheRestofOurLives.”

參與競爭的美國作家作品包括蘇珊崔 (Susan Choi) 的《手電筒》、凱蒂北村 (Katie Kitamura) 的《試鏡》和本馬科維茨 (Ben Markovits) 的《我們的餘生》。

AlsoonthelistarenovelsbyAlbanian-AmericanLediaXhoga, Trinidad’sClaireAdam, andCanadian-UkrainianoperalibrettistMariaReva.

名單上還有阿爾巴尼亞裔美國人萊迪亞·佐加 (Ledia Xhoga)、特立尼達的克萊爾·亞當 (Claire Adam) 和加拿大裔烏克蘭歌劇劇本作家瑪麗亞·雷瓦 (Maria Reva) 的小說。

Thelonglistednovelsbringreaderstovariouslocationsaroundtheworld, exploringthemesofidentityandnationality, asnotedbyRoddyDoyle, chairofthejudgingpanel.

評審團主席羅迪·道爾 (Roddy Doyle) 指出，入圍小說將讀者帶到世界各地，探索身份和民族等主題。

TheBookerPrize, foundedin 1969, isknownfortransformingwriters’careersandisopentonovelsfromanycountrypublishedinthe U.K. and Ireland.

布克獎創立於 1969 年，以改變作家的職業生涯而聞名，它面向在英國和愛爾蘭出版的任何國家的小說開放。

Alistofsixfinalistswillbeannouncedon Sept. 23, withthewinnercrownedon Nov. 10 ataceremonyinLondon.

六名決賽選手名單將於 9 月 23 日公佈，獲勝者將於 11 月 10 日在倫敦舉行的頒獎典禮上揭曉。

Indian author Kiran Desai, who won the Booker Prize and then didn’t publish a novel for almost two decades, is up for the award again with her long-awaited follow-up.

“The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny,” the 677-page tale of two young Indians making their way in the United States, is one of 13 books announced Tuesday as semifinalists for the prestigious 50,000-pound ($67,000) prize.

The contenders include authors from nine countries on four continents.

It’s Desai’s first novel since “The Inheritance of Loss,” which won the Booker in 2006.

Two previous finalists are up for the prize again: U.K. writer Andrew Miller, for “The Land in Winter,” and Hungarian-British writer David Szalay for “Flesh.”

Tash Aw will be the first Malaysian winner if he takes the prize for “The South.”

Five of the contenders are from Britain, including authors like Natasha Brown, Jonathan Buckley, and Benjamin Wood.

Books by U.S. writers in the running include Susan Choi’s “Flashlight,” Katie Kitamura’s “Audition” and Ben Markovits’ “The Rest of Our Lives.”

Also on the list are novels by Albanian-American Ledia Xhoga, Trinidad’s Claire Adam, and Canadian-Ukrainian opera librettist Maria Reva.

The longlisted novels bring readers to various locations around the world, exploring themes of identity and nationality, as noted by Roddy Doyle, chair of the judging panel.

The Booker Prize, founded in 1969, is known for transforming writers’ careers and is open to novels from any country published in the U.K. and Ireland.

A list of six finalists will be announced on Sept. 23, with the winner crowned on Nov. 10 at a ceremony in London.