Ali Smith receives the State Prize for Literature

Most recently, its season quartet, which has also been available in German translation since last year, has been highly praised. The prize is worth 25,000 euros and will be awarded in the summer as part of the Salzburg Festival.

According to the jury’s statement, the Cambridge-based writer “remains close to our present in her novels and short stories”. “And because there is no present without a past, it provides the characters with biographies that reflect the twentieth century.” The 59-year-old gives her characters dreams, memories, fantasies and mind games. “This requires a cunning aesthetic program that does justice to the abundance of inner states.” The jury consisted of experts, journalists and authors.

Secretary of State for Culture Andrea Mayer (Greens) also congratulated: “In her novels and short stories we meet ourselves and find the big and small issues of our time, our hopes and our fears.” The State Prize has been awarded since 1965 for literary works by a European writer that have received special international attention.