Mircea Cărtărescu’s Solenoid Wins the Prestigious 2024 Dublin Literary Award
Dublin, Ireland – Today, the Dublin City Council proudly announced the winner of the acclaimed 2024 Dublin Literary Award: Solenoid, by Romanian author Mircea Cărtărescu, meticulously translated into English by Sean Cotter. This prestigious award, sponsored by Dublin City Council, holds the distinction of being the world’s largest prize for a single novel published in the English language, with a remarkable prize of €100,000.
Literary Triumph: A Romanian Voice Captivates the World
Mircea Cărtărescu’s literary masterpiece, Solenoid, captivates readers with its profound exploration of memory, time, and the human experience. Set against the backdrop of Communist Romania in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the novel effortlessly blends fiction and autobiography, offering a captivating glimpse into the author’s own experiences as a teacher.
Solenoid has garnered widespread acclaim since its release, with The New Yorker and the Financial Times bestowing upon it the honor of being one of the best books of 2022. Its recognition as the winner of the Dublin Literary Award is a testament to its enduring quality and literary excellence.
Breaking Barriers: First Romanian Novel to Win the Coveted Prize
As the 12th novel in translation to be crowned with the Dublin Literary Award, Solenoid stands as a testament to the power of literature to transcend borders and cultural boundaries. Its victory marks the first time a novel translated from Romanian has received this prestigious accolade.
“An Honor of a Lifetime”: Author’s Reaction to the Triumph
Upon receiving the award, Mircea Cărtărescu expressed his profound gratitude and humbled reaction to the monumental achievement. “Winning the Dublin literary award is one of the most significant achievements in my whole literary career and a great honor for me,” he said.
A String of Notable Contenders: A Competitive Literary Landscape
Solenoid emerged as the winner from a highly competitive shortlist of six exceptional titles, meticulously selected from an impressive longlist of 70 nominations submitted by 80 libraries across 35 countries. Notably, four Irish authors had the honor of being longlisted for this year’s award, including Sebastian Barry for his novel Old God’s Time and Emma Donoghue for her work Haven.
Dublin Literary Award: A Beacon of Literary Excellence
The Dublin Literary Award, a beacon of literary excellence, has a longstanding tradition of recognizing and celebrating the most outstanding works of literature in the English language. This year, the award once again shines a spotlight on the transformative power of literature to bridge cultures and resonate with readers worldwide.
Priyanka 
Deepika