'War and Turpentine' receives award in Switzerland

13/07/2017

The novel ‘War and Turpentine’ continues to be a hit abroad. The author Stefan Hertmans has now also won the Spycher Literature Prize in Leukerbad, Switzerland.

The jury awarded the prize to Hertmans for his sense of precision and empathy in describing historical themes of topical relevance. In War and Turpentine Stefan Hertmans recounts his grandfather's story, a painter who fought on the Yser Front during World War I. The novel lies at the crossroads of fiction and non-fiction.

In addition to the prize itself, he also received 18,000 Swiss francs (approximately 16,400 euros). The prize also includes the right of residence for 2 months per year in Leukerbad over 5 years.

Stefan Hertmans has been awarded several literature prizes for his bestseller. He was also longlisted for the prestigious International Man Booker Prize. In 2016, War and Turpentine was selected as one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year.