German Book Prize 2010 - Melinda Nadj Abonji's 'Tauben Fliegen Auf' # 09.10.2010 # Arts.21

On October 4th, in the runup to the Frankfurt Book Fair, the German Book Prize is awarded for the best German-language novel of the year. ARTS.21 portrays the winner, Melinda Nadj Abonji, who convinced the jury with her novel «Tauben fliegen auf», whose title could translate as "Doves Fly Up". The Swiss writer's autobiographical novel tells the story of an ethnic Hungarian family from the Serbian province of Vojvodina who settle in Switzerland and build their lives there under difficult conditions. This is the first time the prize has gone to someone whose first language is not German - and also the first time a Swiss writer has won.