The European Union Prize for Literature [antikvár]

ForewordForeword by José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission/ am delighted to present the eleven winners of this year's edition of the European Union Prize for Literature. And I am glad that together with the European Booksellers Federation (EBF), the European Writers' Council (EWC) and the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) we are able to showcase a short passage from their award winning book in this brochure in their mother tongue and in a translation in English. This overview shows the great diversity of new European literature and highlights the unique virtues of this new European Prize.Europe's vibrant creativity, its cultural diversity and abundant variety of styles and languages makes it a very attractive place to live, work and visit. In fact our diversity is one of our great assets. But diversity is also challenging because it means extra efforts have to be made to provide access to new literary works, simply because new fiction is often only available in the author's mother tongue. The latest digital developments are providing easier access to culture, but without the translation of new literature and accompanying cross-border promotion much of Europe's literary potential runs the risk of going unnoticed. This is where this prize aims to make a difference.By working together with EBF, EWC and FEP, the Commission is aiming at showcasing the diversity of contemporary European fiction by helping new authors to break through national borders. We want to put the spotlight on emerging authors who otherwise may not be easily spotted outside their own country. By working together in this way the involved sectors and the Commission want to develop a smoother path for the translation of new literature. We expect that this will also increase the chance of new authors breaking through into other areas such as television, film and theatre.The European book and publishing sectors top the rankings in the world and in these challenging times our aim has to be to stimulate developments that can increase European employment. We know that locally rooted talent can go on to have major international success ; here are eleven examples of European authors who are still working nationally, but we hope they will break through.International recognition can help not only their career, but also the employment of others through turnover in other sectors such as theatre, television, internet, film and tourism. From the study on the Economy of Culture - which the EU commissioned in 2006 - we know that culture and the cultural and creative industries are big and dynamic contributors to Europe's economies. They employ more than 5 million people across the EU - 27 and contribute 2,6% to the EU Gross Domestic Product. Experience teaches us that strengthening the potential of new authors can - over time - help smart, inclusive and sustainable growth.Great adventures start between the cover of a book, but the book's success depends on its readers. I really hope you enjoy these excerpts-which were chosen by the authors themselves - as much as I have and that it will give you an appetite to find out more about their work.José Manuel BARROSO