The translator of ‘Wonder' is Michael Henry Heim, who has previously translated works by amongst others Günter Grass and Milan Kundera into English. Over a period of three years, the Flemish Literature Fund provided guidance to the publisher, Archipelago Books, to ensure the best possible translation of this special novel. In ‘Wonder', Claus presents several uprooted and desperate characters against the backdrop of Flanders, interwoven with dream sequences at the Polish and Russian front during the second World War.
The longlist consists of 25 titles by authors from 24 different countries and written in 17 different languages. Other authors on the list include Gerbrand Bakker, Roberto Bolaño and Nobel Prize winners Orhan Pamuk and J.M.G. Le Clézio. The jury will publish the shortlist on 16 February 2010. The winner will be announced in March 2010.
