Jonas Hassen Khemiri Wins Leading Swedish Literary Prize for ‘Allt Jag Inte Minns’

Tunisian-Swedish novelist and playwright Jonas Hassen Khemiri has taken the Augustpriset, a leading Swedish literary award, for his novel Allt jag inte minns:

The winning novel, All I Don’t Remember, starts with the death of a man named Samuel in a car crash, and traces his life, as well as his girlfriend’s (an Arabic interpreter), and many of those he touched.

Khemiri’s skilled, rollicking Montecore has previously appeared in English, translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles, as has his Obie-winning play, “Invasion!” Khemiri is also well-known in Sweden for his “Open Letter to Beatrice Ask,” Sweden’s Minister of Justice.

For Khemiri fans, San Francisco’s Crowded Fire Theatre recently announced its 2015-2016 season, which includes Khemiri’s play I Call My Brothers, also translated by Willson-Broyles. It’s set to be directed by Evren Odcikin (March 31–April 24, 2016). The play follows one man’s 24-hour journey after a car explosion that paralyzes an entire city in fear and leads to racial profiling.

According to M.A. Orthofer’s Literary Saloon, “rights [for Allt jag inte minns] have already been sold to this, with it scheduled for publication from Atria in the US and Scribner in the UK; see also the Ahlander Agency information page.”

My favorite publicity quote, from Patrik Lundberg, Aftonbladet: “This damn book is a masterpiece.”