European Book Prize

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{{Infobox award

| name = European Book Prize

| current_awards =

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| awarded_for = promoting European values, and contributing to European citizens' better understanding of the European Union as a cultural entity

| presenter = Esprit d'Europe

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| location = {{flag|European Union}}

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| reward = €10,000

| year = {{Start date and age|2007}}

| year2 =

| holder = Karl Schlögel for Ukraine: a nation on the borderland (2024)

| website = {{URL|http://livre-europeen.eu/}}

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The European Book Prize ({{langx|fr|Le Prix du Livre Européen}}) is a European Union literary award established in 2007. It is organized by the association Esprit d'Europe in Paris. It seeks to promote European values, and to contribute to European citizens' better understanding of the European Union as a cultural entity.

Eligible books must have been published in one of the 27 European Union (EU) member-states in the preceding year, in the original language or a translation. Works are submitted in one of two categories: essai (which in French means, something broader than the English "essay") and romans et récits ("novels and narratives"). A long list is drawn up by the organizers in Paris; the number varies but for example, in 2011, there were 50 essais plus 47 romans et recits. These are then sent to a "sponsorship committee" which narrows it down to about a seven title shortlist, which are then given to a new committee of judges, composed of journalists and authors.

The European Book Prize was founded by France Rouqe, Luce Perrot and François-Xavier Priollaud. The prize is worth 10,000 euros to each winner. The first two years saw only one winner who received 20,000 euros.

Winners

The inaugural European Book Prize was awarded to Belgium's prime minister Guy Verhofstadt for United States of Europe. The ceremony was held at the European Parliament in Brussels on 5 December 2007.

Swedish crime fiction writer Henning Mankell handed the prize to the winner. While giving the prize, Mankell said that the jury was sensitive to the political courage showed by the current prime minister of Belgium. He added that in a Europe which has a lot of self-doubt, which has a lot of questions about its own future, Guy Verhofstadt offered a clear proposal for the future. He gave reasons to believe in European constitution.

While receiving the reward, Verhofstadt said, "When I wrote this book, I in fact meant it as a provocation against all those who didn't want the European Constitution. Fortunately, in the end a solution was found with the treaty, that was approved."{{cite web|url=http://www.euronews.net/index.php?page=europa&article=457865&lng=1 |title=EuroNews TV Report of 5 December 2007 |publisher=Euronews.net |accessdate=2013-07-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206143409/http://www.euronews.net/index.php?page=europa&article=457865&lng=1 |archivedate=6 February 2012 }}

class="wikitable" style="width:95%;" cellpadding="5"
Year

! Category

! English title

! Original title

! Author

! Nationality

! Ref(s)

2007EssayUnited States of EuropeDe Verenigde Staten van Europa: manifest voor een nieuw EuropaGuy Verhofstadt{{flag|Belgium}}
2008Essaycolspan="2" | Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945Tony Judt{{flag|United Kingdom}}
rowspan=2|2009

| Novel

GottlandGottlandMariusz Szczygieł{{flag|Poland}}rowspan=2|
EssayEurope for DummiesL'Europe pour les NulsSylvie Goulard{{flag|France}}
rowspan=2|2010

| Novel

PurgePuhdistusSofi Oksanen{{flag|Finland}}rowspan=2|
EssayBeauty and the InfernoLa bellezza e l'infernoRoberto Saviano{{flag|Italy}}
rowspan=2|2011

| Novel

Red Love: The Story of an East German FamilyHaltet euer Herz bereit: eine ostdeutsche FamiliengeschichteMaxim Leo{{flag|Germany}}Julian Barnes. [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/dec/16/european-book-prize-julian-barnes "Judging the European Book prize for 2011"], The Guardian, 16 December 2011
EssayThe Crime and the SilenceMy z JedwabnegoAnna Bikont{{flag|Poland}}
rowspan=2|2012

| Novel

Madonna on the moonWie die Madonna auf den Mond kamRolf Bauerdick{{flag|Germany}}rowspan=2|
EssayEurope’s passageDe passage naar Europa. Geschiedenis van een beginLuuk van Middelaar{{flag|Netherlands}}
rowspan=2|2013

| Novel

An Englishman in MadridRiña de gatosEduardo Mendoza{{flag|Spain}}{{cite web |url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/content/20131205STO29902/html/European-Book-Prize-promoting-European-values |title=European Book Prize: promoting European values |date=5 December 2013 |accessdate=7 December 2013}}
EssayThe French, gravediggers of the euroCes Français, fossoyeurs de l’euroArnaud Leparmentier{{flag|France}}
rowspan=2|2014

| Novel

Hannah's DressLa robe de Hannah: Berlin 1904–2014Pascale Hugues{{flag|France}}rowspan=2|[https://www.euractiv.com/section/languages-culture/opinion/british-lord-wins-european-book-prize-with-plea-to-make-eu-stronger/ "British Lord wins European Book Prize with plea to make EU stronger"], euractiv.com, 8 January 2015, retrieved 30 January 2017
Essaycolspan="2" | Turbulent and Mighty ContinentAnthony Giddens{{flag|United Kingdom}}
rowspan=2|2015

| Novel

VeraJean-Pierre Orban{{flag|Belgium}}rowspan=2|[http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/brussels/article/european-book-prize-2015.html "European Book Prize 2015"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171225091850/http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/brussels/article/european-book-prize-2015.html |date=25 December 2017 }}, Cafebabel, 21 December 2015, retrieved 30 January 2017
EssayEnraged Citizens, European Peace and Democratic DeficitsDer Europäische Landbote: Die Wut der Bürger und der Friede EuropasRobert Menasse{{flag|Austria}}
rowspan=2|2016

| Novel

The ImpostorEl impostorJavier Cercas{{flag|Spain}}rowspan=2|
EssayIl più e il menoErri De Luca{{flag|Italy}}
rowspan=2|2017

| Novel

ZinkDavid Van Reybrouck{{flag|Belgium}}rowspan=2|{{cite web |url=http://focusonbelgium.be/en/culture/david-van-reybrouck-wins-european-book-prize |title=David Van Reybrouck wins the European Book Prize |work=Focus on Belgium |date=14 December 2017 |accessdate=24 December 2017}}
EssayCome la democrazia fallisce{{ill|Raffaele Simone|it}}{{flag|Italy}}
rowspan=3|2018

| Novel

Those Who ForgetLes AmnésiquesGéraldine Schwarz{{flag|Germany}}
Essaycolspan="2" | Orbán: Europe's New StrongmanPaul Lendvai{{flag|Austria}}
Jury prizecolspan="2" | East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against HumanityPhilippe Sands{{flag|United Kingdom}}
rowspan=2|2019

| Novel

colspan="2" | Middle EnglandJonathan Coe{{flag|United Kingdom}}
EssayNous l’Europe, banquet des peuplesLaurent Gaudé{{flag|France}}
rowspan=2|2020

| Novel

It Happened on the First of September (or Some Other Time)Stalo sa prvého septembra (alebo inokedy)Pavol Rankov{{flag|Slovakia}}
Jury prizecolspan="2" | Border. A Journey to the Edge of EuropeKapka Kassabova{{flag|Bulgaria}}
rowspan=1|2021

| Novel

NikiΝίκηChristos Chomenidis{{flag|Greece}}
rowspan=1|2022

| Novel

M. L'uomo della provvidenzaAntonio Scurati{{flag|Italy}}
rowspan=1|2023

| Novel

Die ErweiterungRobert Menasse{{flag|Austria}}
rowspan=1|2024

| Novel

Ukraine: a nation on the borderlandEntscheidung in Kiew. Ukrainische LektionenKarl Schlögel{{flag|Germany}}

Winners by country

class="wikitable sortable"
Country

! Laureates

{{flag|France}}

| 4

{{flag|Germany}}

| 4

{{flag|Italy}}

| 4

{{flag|United Kingdom}}

| 4

{{flag|Austria}}*

| 3

{{flag|Belgium}}

| 3

{{flag|Spain}}

| 2

{{flag|Poland}}

| 2

{{flag|Bulgaria}}

| 1

{{flag|Finland}}

| 1

{{flag|Greece}}

| 1

{{flag|Netherlands}}

| 1

{{flag|Slovakia}}

| 1

  • In 2023, Robert Menasse became the first laureate to be awarded the prize for two different books (in 2015 and 2023)

References

{{Reflist}}