SOURCE: THE PRINT
Dublin-based Indian poet Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe’s debut poetry
collection “Auguries of a Minor God” is among the eight novels, two poetry
collections and two short story collections longlisted for this year’s Dylan
Thomas Prize worth 20,000 pounds.
Eipe, who was born in India and grew up across the Middle
East, Europe and North America before calling Ireland home, draws inspiration
from Kama — the Hindu god of love and desire — for his first poetry collection.
The book follows two different journeys. While the first
half talks about love and the wounds it makes, the second half follows a family
of refugees who have fled to the West from conflict in an unspecified Middle Eastern
country.
The Dylan Thomas Prize, in partnership with Swansea
University, celebrates the international world of fiction in all its forms
including poetry, novels, short stories and drama.
Launched in 2006, the award, named after the Swansea-born
writer, Dylan Thomas, is awarded for the best published literary work in the
English language, written by an author aged 39 or under.
It is chaired by co-founder and co-director of the Jaipur
Literature Festival and award-winning author Namita Gokhale this year.
“From Sri Lanka to Trinidad, Texas, and Ireland via the
Middle East, this year’s longlist features a powerful, international collection
of writers who are offering platforms for under-represented voices,” said the
award committee in its statement.
The other longlisted books are “A Passage North” by Anuk
Arudpragasam, “What Noise Against the Cane” by Desiree Bailey, “Keeping the
House” by Tice Cin, “The “Sweetness of Water” by Nathan Harris, “No One
is Talking About This” by Patricia Lockwood, “Milk Blood Heat” by Dantiel W Moniz,
“Hot Stew” by Fiona Mozley, “Open Water” by Caleb Azumah Nelson, “Acts of
Desperation” by Megan Nolan “Peaces” by Helen Oyeyemi and “Filthy Animals” by
Brandon Taylor.
The shortlist will be announced on March 31, and the winner
will be declared on May 12 — two days before the ‘International Dylan Thomas
Day’.