Wild Dingo Press title shortlisted for Booker International

The Enlightenment of the Greengage tree by Iranian-Australian author Shokoofeh Azah, first published by SPN member Wild Dingo Press, has been shortlisted for the £50,000 Booker International Prize 2020.

Shokoofeh Azah is the first Australian author to be shortlisted for the International Booker for a work in translation. Her novel was originally written in Farsi.

Owner and publisher of Wild Dingo Press Catherine Lewis told Books+Publishing in 2018: ‘We felt strongly compelled to take the publishing plunge with The Enlightenment despite having to invest in its translation. It seemed mad for a small publisher to take on such an expensive project, but we were certain that it was a novel for the world, not just Australia, and that it was exceptional.’ The Farsi edition of the book is also available from Wild Dingo Press through IngramSpark.

The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree was also shortlisted for the Stella Prize 2018, the University of Queensland Fiction Book Award 2018 and the 2020 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature.

‘Wild Dingo has just celebrated its tenth year in business and we at SPN can’t think of a better present than seeing one of their titles on this prestigious list,’ said SPN general manager Tim Coronel. ‘We have our fingers crossed for Cathi, Shokoofeh and all at Wild Dingo that they win!’