Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov and translator Angela Rodel were named Tuesday winners of the International&nbsp;Booker&nbsp;Prize with the novel "Time Shelter" -- a first for a book in Bulgarian.

The prestigious award recognises works of fiction from around the world that have been translated into English and the £50,000 ($62,000) prize is split equally between the author and the translator.

The winning novel focuses on a "clinic for the past" that offers experimental Alzheimer's treatment.&nbsp;

It recreates the atmosphere of past decades down to the smallest detail to trigger patients' memories.&nbsp;But with time healthy people start coming to the clinic, seeking an escape from the horrors of modern life.

"It is a novel that invites reflection and vigilance as much as it moves us, because the language -- sensitive and precise -- manages to capture, in a Proustian vein, the extreme fragility of the past," Franco-Moroccan writer and judges panel chair Leila Slimani said.

Born in 1968, novelist and poet Gospodinov is the most internationally acclaimed modern Bulgarian author. His works are translated into 25 languages.&nbsp;

Speaking about the book's nomination, Gospodinov said, "This encourages writers not only from my country, but also from the Balkans, who often feel themselves outside the sphere of English-speaking attention."

Rodel is originally from the US state of Minnesota but lives and works in Bulgaria. Her poetry and prose translations have been published across literary magazines and anthologies.

In 2014, she was granted Bulgarian citizenship for her work and contribution to Bulgarian culture.

"We need not only to recognise the translators, but also put them on an equal footing with the authors," Rodel told journalists.&nbsp;

"It was really trying to decide with Georgi how we were going to not just translate the text but translate the atmosphere, the context... all of those socialist sort of ghosts that were haunting the text itself."

Gospodinov agreed that "It was not easy at all to translate this kind of book, because the book is dealing with different decades in the 20th century and with different languages that we have in this decade."

Last year the International&nbsp;Booker&nbsp;Prize was awarded to the Hindi novel "Tomb of Sand" by Indian author Geetanjali Shree, and translated by Daisy Rockwell. 
 
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Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov and translator Angela Rodel were named Tuesday winners of the International Booker Prize with the novel "Time Shelter" -- a first for a book in Bulgarian.

Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov and translator Angela Rodel were named Tuesday winners of the International Booker Prize with the novel "Time Shelter" -- a first for a book in Bulgarian. The prestigious award recognises works of fiction from around the world that have been translated into English and the £50,000 ($62,000) prize is split equally between the author and the translator. The winning novel focuses on a "clinic for the past" that offers experimental Alzheimer's treatment. It recreates the atmosphere of past decades down to the smallest detail to trigger patients' memories. But with time healthy people start coming to the clinic, seeking an escape from the horrors of modern life. "It is a novel that invites reflection and vigilance as much as it moves us, because the language -- sensitive and precise -- manages to capture, in a Proustian vein, the extreme fragility of the past," Franco-Moroccan writer and judges panel chair Leila Slimani said. Born in 1968, novelist and poet Gospodinov is the most internationally acclaimed modern Bulgarian author. His works are translated into 25 languages. Speaking about the book's nomination, Gospodinov said, "This encourages writers not only from my country, but also from the Balkans, who often feel themselves outside the sphere of English-speaking attention." Rodel is originally from the US state of Minnesota but lives and works in Bulgaria. Her poetry and prose translations have been published across literary magazines and anthologies. In 2014, she was granted Bulgarian citizenship for her work and contribution to Bulgarian culture. "We need not only to recognise the translators, but also put them on an equal footing with the authors," Rodel told journalists. "It was really trying to decide with Georgi how we were going to not just translate the text but translate the atmosphere, the context... all of those socialist sort of ghosts that were haunting the text itself." Gospodinov agreed that "It was not easy at all to translate this kind of book, because the book is dealing with different decades in the 20th century and with different languages that we have in this decade." Last year the International Booker Prize was awarded to the Hindi novel "Tomb of Sand" by Indian author Geetanjali Shree, and translated by Daisy Rockwell. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Bulgarian novel ‘Time Shelter’ wins International Booker Prize

French novelist David Diop on Wednesday won the prestigious International Booker Prize for books translated into English with his World War I-set novel, "At Night All Blood is Black".

The Paris-born writer became the first French winner of the prize, awarded for a book translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland, in a ceremony broadcast online from Coventry Cathedral in central England.

Lucy Hughes-Hallett, chair of the judges, said "this story of warfare and love and madness has a terrifying power".

"We judges agreed that its incantatory prose and dark, brilliant vision had jangled our emotions and blown our minds," she said, adding "it had cast a spell on us".

"I'm extremely happy to have won this prize," Diop told AFP in an interview in his native French.

"It's very interesting and gratifying for me. This really shows that literature has no borders."

The book's translator Anna Moschovakis won half the £50,000 ($70,850) prize, which recognises the major role of translators.

"It's taken me by surprise," she told AFP. "I'm so thrilled about how this will even further increase the number of people who encounter this book, which I feel so fortunate to have been able to translate."

"A translation is neither one nor two people's work, but sort of a collaboration between an author, a translator and the book, which I think is always very exciting," she said.

Diop's novel tells the story of two Senegalese soldiers fighting for France in the trenches of World War I. When one, Mademba, is killed, the other, Alfa, descends into ever greater violence and madness.

Diop, who was brought up in Senegal, was inspired by the fact that his Senegalese great-grandfather fought in the war but never spoke about his experiences.

The book was first published in 2018 with the French title "Frere d'ame" (literally soul brother), a play on words, as it sounds like "Frere d'armes" or brother-in-arms.

Moschovakis said this was a "beautiful pun" but she opted to change the title in English because it "would be impossible to actually translate".

The book's London-based publisher Pushkin Press tweeted: "Impossibly proud of David Diop and his translator Anna Moschovakis."

The International Booker Prize, formerly known as the Man Booker International Prize, has been awarded since 2005, when it was won by Albanian writer Ismail Kadare.&nbsp;

It is a sister prize to the Booker Prize, awarded to a novel written in English.

French novelist David Diop on Wednesday won the prestigious International Booker Prize for books translated into English with his World War I-set novel, "At Night All Blood is Black".

French novelist David Diop on Wednesday won the prestigious International Booker Prize for books translated into English with his World War I-set novel, "At Night All Blood is Black". The Paris-born writer became the first French winner of the prize, awarded for a book translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland, in a ceremony broadcast online from Coventry Cathedral in central England. Lucy Hughes-Hallett, chair of the judges, said "this story of warfare and love and madness has a terrifying power". "We judges agreed that its incantatory prose and dark, brilliant vision had jangled our emotions and blown our minds," she said, adding "it had cast a spell on us". "I'm extremely happy to have won this prize," Diop told AFP in an interview in his native French. "It's very interesting and gratifying for me. This really shows that literature has no borders." The book's translator Anna Moschovakis won half the £50,000 ($70,850) prize, which recognises the major role of translators. "It's taken me by surprise," she told AFP. "I'm so thrilled about how this will even further increase the number of people who encounter this book, which I feel so fortunate to have been able to translate." "A translation is neither one nor two people's work, but sort of a collaboration between an author, a translator and the book, which I think is always very exciting," she said. Diop's novel tells the story of two Senegalese soldiers fighting for France in the trenches of World War I. When one, Mademba, is killed, the other, Alfa, descends into ever greater violence and madness. Diop, who was brought up in Senegal, was inspired by the fact that his Senegalese great-grandfather fought in the war but never spoke about his experiences. The book was first published in 2018 with the French title "Frere d'ame" (literally soul brother), a play on words, as it sounds like "Frere d'armes" or brother-in-arms. Moschovakis said this was a "beautiful pun" but she opted to change the title in English because it "would be impossible to actually translate". The book's London-based publisher Pushkin Press tweeted: "Impossibly proud of David Diop and his translator Anna Moschovakis." The International Booker Prize, formerly known as the Man Booker International Prize, has been awarded since 2005, when it was won by Albanian writer Ismail Kadare. It is a sister prize to the Booker Prize, awarded to a novel written in English.

France's David Diop wins International Booker for novel set during World War I

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Bulgarian novel ‘Time Shelter’ wins International Booker Prize

France's David Diop wins International Booker for novel set during World War I