International Booker Prize 2017: Complete list of winners

The 2017 International Booker Prize marked a watershed moment for translated literature, celebrating works that transcend linguistic and cultural boundaries to speak to universal human experiences. This prestigious award, which honors the finest works of fiction available in English translation, shone its spotlight on David Grossman’s A Horse Walks into a Bar, a searing exploration of grief, performance, and the masks we wear. Grossman’s novel—translated from the original Hebrew—represents a significant recognition for Israeli literature on the world stage, drawing international attention to the vibrant literary conversations happening in the Middle East.

What makes Grossman’s win particularly striking is the novel’s formal audacity: it’s structured almost entirely as a one-man comedy routine, where a weary comedian performs before an audience on a seemingly ordinary evening, gradually revealing the profound tragedy that has shaped his life. This innovative narrative approach, combined with the translation’s ability to preserve the work’s emotional intensity and dark wit, demonstrates why the International Booker Prize remains such an important benchmark for identifying the year’s most compelling translated fiction. The award underscores how translation itself becomes a creative act, allowing readers who might never pick up a Hebrew-language original to experience one of the year’s most remarkable literary achievements.

Below, you’ll find full details about the 2017 winners and what made them stand out to the judging panel.

Translated Fiction

• A Horse Walks into a Barסוס אחד נכנס לבר‎ by David Grossman