Young author beats out favourites to win Swiss Book Prize
Anna Stern, 30, is originally from Canton St Gallen in northeastern Switzerland.
Keystone / Gaetan Bally
Anna Stern has been awarded the 2020 Swiss Book Prize for her novel about coming to terms with the death of a close friend.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/dos
The book, “das alles hier, jetzt” (“all that here, now”), was announced as winner at a ceremony in Basel on Sunday.
The jury said Stern had managed to take one of the oldest themes in literature and infuse it with “a fully new form and unprecedented tone”.
The book is written from the perspective of a narrator in their mid-20s who is trying to come to terms with a friend’s death. Much of it is written in a dual format: on the left-hand page the narrator describes the grieving process, on the right-hand page he or she recounts old scenes from their friendship. It’s all written in a way that leaves it unclear whether the characters are male or female – something which is “up to the reader to decide”, as Stern told the Keystone-SDA news agency.
Stern, who is 30 and is currently writing a doctoral dissertation on antibiotic resistance at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich, had previously published three books – two novels and a collection of stories.
She was chosen for the prize on Sunday ahead of long-established authors, including Charles Lewinsky, Dorothee Elmiger, Tom Kummer, and Karl Rühmann.
The Swiss Book Prize is considered the most important literary award in Switzerland alongside the Grand Prix for literature. It comes with a cheque for CHF30,000 ($33,340).
This content was published on
The meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin should take place in Europe, according to French President Emmanuel Macron. He is calling for it to be held in Geneva.
This content was published on
Zug-based mining and commodities trading giant Glencore plans to inject more than a dozen billion dollars into the expansion of two Argentine copper production sites.
Polish climber dies near Zermatt after falling into crevasse
This content was published on
A Polish mountaineer died on Sunday after falling into a crevasse on the Monte Rosa glacier in the Swiss resort of Zermatt.
This content was published on
Production in Switzerland's secondary sector fell in the second quarter of 2025. The decline was more pronounced in the construction sector than for industry.
Swiss army recruits remain in hospital after gruelling test exercise
This content was published on
Four potential recruits for the elite Swiss grenadier unit were hospitalised last week after taking part in a gruelling exercise in hot weather. Three remain in hospital with one placed temporarily in an artificial coma.
University of Basel to mark 125th anniversary of Nietzsche’s death
This content was published on
This month the University of Basel is celebrating the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who was a professor there from 1869 to 1879. August 25th marks the 125th anniversary of his death.
Trump tariffs: Swiss brands struggle to adapt to 39% tariff
This content was published on
Swiss brands like Victorinox, the manufacturer of the iconic pocket knife, are struggling to adapt to the 39% tariff imposed by the United States on imports of Swiss goods.
Fish and aquatic plants are under ‘severe pressure’ in Swiss rivers and lakes
This content was published on
Fish, aquatic plants and other animals in Swiss rivers, lakes and streams remain under 'severe pressure', according to the Federal Office for the Environment.
Swatch withdraws ‘slanted eyes’ ad after China uproar
This content was published on
The Swiss watch manufacturer Swatch has apologised and withdrawn an advertising campaign worldwide following accusations of racism in China. The ad features a model pulling the corners of his eyes.
Police identify bodies of three climbers who died in Swiss Alps
This content was published on
Police have formally identified the bodies of three climbers who died in the Upper Valais region in early August: they are from Germany, France and Austria.
This content was published on
The five nominees for the Swiss Book Prize 2020 are Dorothee Elmiger, Tom Kummer, Charles Lewinsky, Karl Rühmann and Anna Stern.
Swiss writer badly hit by coronavirus reflects on the crisis
This content was published on
Jonas Lüscher became gravely ill with Covid-19 and says he is angered by people who downplay the seriousness of the virus.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.