The 2024 Cercador Prize, awarded by a jury of independent booksellers, has been bestowed upon Thomas Bunstead for his translation of Agustín Fernández Mallo’s The Book of All Loves, per lithub.com. This literary honour recognises outstanding works in translation published in the United States.
The Book of All Loves is a thought-provoking exploration of love, loss and the vast expanse of human knowledge. Mallo’s intricate prose and Bunstead’s masterful translation bring to life a world both familiar and surreal. The novel delves into a range of subjects, from linguistics and metaphysics to artificial intelligence and deep time, offering a unique and intellectually stimulating reading experience.
The Cercador Prize jury praised the book’s “gripping, categorical precision” and its ability to “propel the reader to the book’s surprising conclusion.” They also commended Bunstead’s translation for its balance of technical accuracy, analytical depth and aesthetic appeal.
This year’s jury, comprised of booksellers from across the United States including Oscar Almonte-Espinal (Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books, Philadelphia, PA), Thu Doan (East Bay Booksellers, Oakland, CA), Riley Rennhack (Deep Vellum Books, Dallas, TX), Spencer Ruchti (Chair—Third Place Books, Seattle, WA), and Emily Tarr (Thank You Books, Birmingham, AL), highlighted the transformative power of translation and the importance of independent booksellers in discovering and promoting exceptional literature.
