Kosovar author Pajtim Statovci is one of the candidates for two prestigious literary awards in Italy and the UK.
His book “Crossing” has been nominated for the “Salerno Book of Europe Award” and the “Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation award”.
Statovci made the announcement on his social media platform.
“I have news! I am thrilled to announce that “Crossing” has been nominated for two different literary awards. In Italy, the book is one of the three finalists for the Salerno Book of Europe Award while in the United Kingdom it is among the finalists of the Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize. A huge thank you goes to my translators, Nicola Rainò and David Hackston, for bringing the book to light . ” – reads in the post.
His book is about protagonist Yihun Li Bujar whose world is collapsing around him. His father is dying and his native country is suffering from poverty and social unrest. His friend Agim is caught wearing his mother’s red dress and is beaten by his father. As a result, Agim convinces Bujar that there is no place for them in their country.
Desperate to find an opportunity to improve their lives, they flee. This marks the start of a journey through cities, borders and identities from the bazaars of Tirana to the historical sites of Rome and the drag bars of New York. The story also tells the tale of a journey through society, sexuality, and gender on the search for acceptance and love.
Statovci was born in Kosovo in 1990 but his family fled to Finland to escape the war when he was two years old. His 2014 novel “The Last Parallel of the Soul” won the Helsingin Sanomat Award. His second novel “Transitions” won the Toisinkoinen Literature Price in 2016 and in 2018 he won the Helsinki Writer of the Year Award. His third novel “Bolla” was released in 2019 and won the prestigious Finlandia Prize, making Statovci the youngest winner of all time.
