The Birthday Party Shortlisted for the 2023 Republic of Consciousness Prize, US & Canada
We’re thrilled to share that The Birthday Party by Laurent Mauvignier, translated from the French by Daniel Levin Becker, has been shortlisted for the 2023 Republic of Consciousness Prize, US & Canada.
Chosen from the ten-title longlist announced on January 30, 2024, the shortlist includes original English language and translated fiction published by small publishers in the US and Canada during calendar year 2023.
The five shortlisted books and their independent presses are:
The Long Form by Kate Briggs (Dorothy, a publishing project)
Two Sherpas by Sebastián Martínez Daniell, translated by Jennifer Croft (Charco Press)
The Birthday Party by Laurent Mauvignier, translated by Daniel Levin Becker (Transit Books)
Lojman by Ebru Ojen, translated by Aron Aji and Selin Gökçesu (City Lights Publishers)
The Box by Mandy-Suzanne Wong (Graywolf Press)
A total of $35,000 USD will be distributed to the presses, authors, and translators. Each press included in the longlist will receive $2,000. The five shortlisted books will be awarded an additional $3,000 each, split equally between the publisher and author, or publisher, author, and translator, where applicable.
The winner of the 2023 Prize will be announced on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
Founder of the Republic of Consciousness Prize US and Canada and Jury Chair, Lori Feathers, said: “It was difficult to narrow our superb longlist to a five-title shortlist. But after careful deliberations, our jury determined that these books best exemplify the creativity and risk taking that makes the work of small publishers so indispensable in today’s literary landscape.”
The Prize finalists were selected by a jury of independent booksellers and small press enthusiasts: James Crossley (Leviathan, St. Louis), Lori Feathers, Chair (Interabang Books, Dallas), Zoe Grams (Upstart & Crow, Vancouver), Amanda Qassar (Warwick’s, La Jolla), and Paul Wilson (literary podcaster, Colorado).
A public Zoom party celebrating the longlist with publishers, authors, and translators took place on Tuesday, February 27, 2024. A video recording of that program can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCGElxd7f3U
About the Republic of Consciousness Prize:
The Republic of Consciousness Prize in the United States and Canada was founded in 2022 and is run by volunteers. All prize monies to publishers, authors, and translators are funded by donations from members of the public. Donations can be made to the prize here.