"Opening up broad horizons" - what the 5 nominees for the Swiss Book Prize 2025 can do
11.9.2025
Translation: machine translated
Five books from 94 submitted works have made it onto the shortlist for the Swiss Book Prize 2025. "Each text goes its own way in terms of language and composition, opening up a wide range between excess and terseness, soft tones and grand gestures, sadness and lightness," said the jury, praising the authors.
«What a strong year! The five nominated books address central questions of life and writing with existential force.» With these strong words, the jury will announce the five authors nominated for the Swiss Book Prize 2025 on 11 September. Each text goes its own way in terms of language and composition, and together the five books cover topics ranging from grief to lightness and take readers on journeys through space and time. From Switzerland to Hungary, to the Egyptian desert and via Latin American jungles to Cameroon.
From a total of 94 titles submitted from 50 publishers, the five-member jury shortlisted the following works for the Swiss Book Prize:
«Lázár» by Nelio Biedermann, published by Rowohlt Berlin
In his second novel, 22-year-old author Nelio Biedermann travels to the homeland of his grandparents, to Hungary in the early 20th century. He tells the family saga of a Hungarian aristocratic family through the end of the Habsburg Empire in the First World War and the horrors of the Second over several generations. He does this «in a poetic language, with great intensity and yet lightness», writes the jury about the nominee.
«Die Holländerinnen» by Dorothee Elmiger, published by Hanser
New York-based author and translator Dorothee Elmiger sets an unnamed writer and a theatre troupe on the trail of two Dutch women lost in the Latin American jungle in true crime style. She nests numerous stories of «people and monsters, of fear and violence inside, around and on top of each other.» Elmiger explores the limits of what can be told and at the same time provides proof of the immense power of literature, writes the jury.
«In the sea we were never» by Meral Kureyshi, published by Limmat Verlag
Author Meral Kureyshi takes an intimate and precise look at family and friendship relationships between people of different generations. The nameless first-person narrator connects these people in scenic stories of small everyday moments in « surprising linguistic images», according to the jury. The question arises again and again: «What roots hold us and what urges us to leave?»
«Enchanted Predestination» by Jonas Lüscher, published by Hanser
In his new book, the 2017 Swiss Book Prize winner (with the novel «Kraft») revolves around the topic of mortality at various levels of time, place and narrative. This common thread connects a soldier in the First World War, a stand-up comedian in futuristic Cairo and a Bohemian weaver. «A book that circles around fundamental questions and breaks new narrative ground», writes the jury.
«Grandmothers» by Melara Mvogdobo, published by Transit
The author, who now lives in Andalusia, describes the lives of two women who, at first glance, could hardly be more different: a Swiss woman from a poor background and a wealthy Cameroonian woman. However, the two women's stories of life and suffering show numerous parallels - humiliation, violence, degradation - which are told in «concise, razor-sharp and at the same time moving language», as the jury judged.
One of these five works will be presented on 16 November as part of the «BuchBasel» on 16 November as part of the Zora del Buono's «Seinetwegen».
«These are books that penetrate the essence of Switzerland and go far beyond the country's borders, sometimes even to the limits of what can be told, and which open up wide horizons for the reader.»
Oliver Fischer
Teamleader Editorial
Oliver.Fischer@digitecgalaxus.chGlobetrotter, hiker, wok world champion (not in the ice channel), word acrobat and photo enthusiast.
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