World Literary Awards

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Iris Hanika

アイリス・ハニカ

Airisu Hanika

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
Würzburg, Germany
Nationality
Germany
Languages
German
Residence History
Bad Königshofen (grew up) → Berlin (resident since 1979)

Career

Occupations
writer, novelist, essayist, journalist
Active Years
1992-
Influenced By
Psychoanalytic thought and contemporary literary theorists

Education

Freie Universität Berlin (FU Berlin)
Humanities (Literature / Comparative Literature) / Institute/Department of General and Comparative Literature
Period: 1979年以降にベルリンで学ぶ（正確な在籍期間不明）
Country: Germany
Moved to Berlin and studied general and comparative literature; exact enrollment/graduation years not specified.

Awards

Hans Fallada Prize
2006
Organization: —
Result: 受賞
EU Prize for Literature
2010
Work: The Bottom Line (Das Eigentliche)
Organization: EU Prize for Literature
Result: 受賞
Preis der LiteraTour Nord
2011
Work: The Bottom Line (Das Eigentliche)
Organization: —
Result: 受賞
Villa Massimo (residency)
2017
Category: 滞在招聘
Organization: Villa Massimo / German Academy in Rome
Result: 受給（奨励・在外研究）
Hermann-Hesse-Literature Prize
2020
Work: Echos Kammern
Organization: —
Result: 受賞
Leipzig Book Fair Prize
2021
Work: Echos Kammern
Organization: Leipzig Book Fair
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Echos Kammern

2020 novel

A novel set between Berlin and New York, exploring selfhood, memory, chance and myth.

memoryselfhoodurban life

How the Garbage Is Sorted (Wie der Müll geordnet wird)

2015 novel

A satirical novel observing urban life and interpersonal details.

urban lifesocial observation

Dancing on Concrete (Tanzen auf Beton)

2012 non-fiction / essays

A collection of essays interweaving reflections on psychoanalysis; notable for moving between analysis and everyday life.

psychoanalysisself-analysis

The Bottom Line (Das Eigentliche)

2010 novel

Deals with personal loss and the gaps of everyday life; one of the author's notable works awarded the EU Prize for Literature.

losseveryday life

Two Meet (Treffen sich zwei)

2008 novel

A novel about encounters and relationships.

encounterrelationships

Before the Court (Vor dem Gericht)

2007 novel / story

A collection of short stories/linked narratives examining human conditions against courts and institutions.

institutionsjustice

The Bet on the Unconscious, or What You've Always Wanted to Know About Psychoanalysis

2006 non-fiction

An introductory, reader-friendly exploration of psychoanalysis.

psychoanalysistheory

Music for Airports

2005 short texts / essays

A collection of short texts and essays.

urban sensibilityshort prose

The Hole in the Bread

2003 chronicle / essays

A chronicle-style work compiling fragments of everyday life.

everyday lifefragments

Katharina, or The Obligation of Existence

1992 story / novella

An early work contemplating existence and obligation.

existenceobligation

Bibliography

  • Katharina, or The Obligation of Existence (1992)
  • The Hole in the Bread (2003)
  • Music for Airports (2005)
  • The Bet on the Unconscious (2006)
  • Before the Court (2007)
  • Two Meet (2008)
  • The Bottom Line (2010)
  • Dancing on Concrete (2012)
  • How the Garbage Is Sorted (2015)
  • Echos Kammern (2020)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
analytical, philosophical proseessayistic narrative approachhumorous and sometimes cynical tone
Recurring Motifs
psychoanalysisurban lifeinteriority and memory

Legacy

Recognized as an important contemporary German writer; known for works engaging psychoanalysis and urban life and for receiving several national and international literary awards.

Trivia

  • Resident in Berlin since 1979.
  • Contributed to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Merkur magazine.
  • Won the EU Prize for Literature for Das Eigentliche.
  • Won the Leipzig Book Fair Prize in 2021.