Loukko by 
We are proud to announce that author Katri Lipson has been awarded the European Union Prize for Literature 2013 for her novel The Ice-Cream Man (Jäätelökauppias, Tammi 2012) in Gothenburg, Sweden today. Commissioner in charge of Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, Mrs Androulla Vassiliou unveiled the 12 winners at the Opening Ceremony of the Gothenburg Book Fair: www.bokmassan.se/en/
Established in 2009, the prize is financed by the Culture Programme of the EU whose objective is to achieve three main goals: to promote cross-border mobility of those working in the cultural sector; to encourage the transnational circulation of cultural and artistic output; and to foster intercultural dialogue. The aim of the European Prize for Literature is to put the spotlight on the creativity and diverse wealth of Europe’s contemporary literature in the field of fiction, to promote the circulation of literature within Europe and encourage greater interest in non-national literary works. For more information about the European Union Prize for Literature and this year’s winners, go to: www.euprizeliterature.eu
Please read the press release by the consortium of the European Union Prize for Literature: http://www.euprizeliterature.eu/
The Ice-Cream Man takes the reader to Prague and inside the plot of the film ‘The Ice-Cream Man’. An actress demands to see the script for the film but instead, the director only gives instructions on what to do next. Based on the lines, it becomes obvious that the couple, pretending to be married, are on the run. The story moves to 1942. Esther and Tomas escape to Mrs Nemcova’s house. Their hostess must not realise they are not lovers. Lipson shows her chameleon-like versatility but one thing remains unchanged: her ability to dazzle.
”The novel is a reader’s paradise.” – Helsingin Sanomat newspaper, Finland
“An original family chronicle – a breathtakingly brilliant and skilful depiction of Europeanness…” – Turun Sanomat newspaper, Finland
Katri Lipson (b. 1965) is a medical doctor who has always been writing something: fairytales, short stories, poems, plays, novels. Her debut novel, Cosmonaut (Kosmonautti, Tammi 2008), was nominated for the Finlandia Prize 2008 and won the Helsingin Sanomat Debut Book of the Year Award 2008.
Please ask the Agency for the full English text and German sample of The Ice-Cream Man!
At Gothenburg Book Fair, Literary Agent Elina Ahlbäck sells rights in the International Rights Centre, IRC table 32.