> International Impac Dublin Literary Award

The largest and most international prize of its kind, the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, is presented to a novel of high literary merit written in, or translated into, English and published within a specified period of time. The New Hampshire State Library has been a nominating library since 1999. The award is a joint initiative of the Dublin (Ireland) City Council, the Municipal Government of Dublin City, and the productivity improvement company IMPAC.

The NH Dublin Award committee has announced its nominees for the 2009 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. These are fictional works of high literary merit published in English during 2007. After reading and discussing many excellent books, the committee selected these titles for nomination:

• The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears by Dinaw Mengestu.
  Humanizes the immigrant experience through the fresh and insightful perspectives of these superbly drawn characters. Heart-rending and richly rewarding.

• The Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer.
  The author has developed an absorbing plot through shifting perspectives that make this an emotionally and intellectually engaging novel.

• The Archivist's Story by Travis Holland.
  A powerful portayal of the paranoia and claustrophobia of life in Stalinist Russia, and an equally powerful tribute to the humanizing power of literature.

The New Hampshire Union Public Access Catalog (NHU-PAC) contains information on which NH libraries currently have titles in their collections nominated by the NH Dublin Committee since 1999 and recent winners of the Dublin Award.

The New Hampshire Dublin Award Committee is currently reviewing fictional works for the 2010 award. This award is for books first published in English during 2008. Also included are books first published in another language between 2003 and 2008 with the English translation first published in 2008. If you would like to make a suggestion, or become a member of the committee, please send an email to the Chair of the NH Dublin Committee. If you are suggesting a book please include the title, author and a brief statement about why you feel the book merits consideration.