Sviatlana Alexievich Included In Prestigious British Award Shortlist

Her latest book ‘The Second-hand Time’ is claiming for the prize of 30 thousand pounds.

For the first time in the history of Belarus, winner of the Nobel Literature Prize Sviatlana Alexievich got shortlisted for the prestigious British award for nonfiction – the Baillie Gifford Prize. Her latest book ‘The Second-hand Time’ is claiming for the prize of 30 thousand pounds, tut.by writes.

Over 180 applications have been submitted for the award in total. Four authors have been selected, the Belarusian writer being among them. Apart from her, Pulitzer Prize laureate Margo Jefferson with a book about the post-race America has a good chance to win.

The annual Baillie Gifford award (The Baillie Gifford Prize) has been awarded since 1999. It is considered one of the most prestigious awards in the UK. The prize is awarded for the best work in the genre of documentary prose, written in English or translated into it. The award bears the name of the main sponsor – one of the leading investment funds, which is actively involved in charity work.

Curiously enough, Alexievich is the recipient of nearly three dozen literary prizes. Among them the Remarque Prize (Germany), the National Critics Award (USA), the Ryszard Kapustinskiy Prize (Poland) and, of course, the Nobel Prize. However, Alexievich received no Belarusian literary awards. The writer’s website refers to only one domestic award – the honorary title of ‘Brand of the Year’ in the nomination ‘Brand Personality’ (2013). Back then, this prize was also awarded to businessman Aliaksandr Mashenski and biathlete Darya Domracheva.

The name of the British award winner will be called on November 17.