Listening to a good book has been made easier as International Booker Prize (IBP) and Deezer have produced playlists to accompany your reading. IBP have worked on playlists for the 2020 shortlist and some great summer reads to create pairing menus like no other. The ‘Sounds of…’ series matches the shortlisted books with complementary music.
To folk who think that listening to music is distracting while reading, recent research proves that music can be an effective aid for reading as it can stir up emotions, enhancing the experience.
Each book has been paired with specific songs to take readers from the real to fictional world. In The Memory Police, you’ll be transported to a dystopian reality with the help of Asian-inspired electronic beats. Hurricane Season’s dark setting in a narco-inhabited Mexican village is mirrored by the sounds of Mexico. Meanwhile, the comedic themes of Tyll come through with the energetic folk rhythms of its dedicated playlist.
The ‘Sounds Of…’ International Booker Prize 2020 series
1. Sounds of The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree by Shokoofeh Azar. Playlist here
2. Sounds of The Adventures of China Iron by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara (translated by Iona Macintye and Fiona Mackintosh). Playlist here
3. Sounds of Tyll by Daniel Kehlmann (translated by Ross Benjamin). Playlist here
4. Sounds of Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor (translated by Sophie Hughes). Playlist here
5. Sounds of The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa (translated by Stephen Snyder). Playlist here
6. Sounds of The Discomfort of Evening by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld (translated by Michele Hutchison). Playlist here
Adam Read, UK & Ireland Media Editor at Deezer said, “Every playlist changes tone, beat and mood to complement the different narratives, from the magic in The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree, to the satire of Tyll. Pairing the disturbing and tragic themes of The Discomfort of Evening with dark and mysterious sounds sent shivers down my spine. I had so many of those surreal moments creating these playlists. For the readers, I’m sure it will keep intensifying as they get further engrossed in the book. They took me on six exciting journeys; now let’s see where they take you!”
Once you’ve made your way through the shortlist, International Booker Prize chair Ted Hodgkinson has more books for you. He has compiled a list of great summer reads you can get lost in and Deezer has tunes to match.
Ted Hodgkinson’s summer selections
- Afropean by Johny Piits
- Square Haunting by Francesca Wade
- Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino
- My Darling from the Lions by Rachel Long
- Postcolonial Love Poem by Natalie Diaz
- Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami (translated by Sam Bett and David Boyd)
- Low by Jeet Thayil
- The Topeka School by Ben Lerner
- Little Eyes by Samantha Schweblin (translated by Megan McDowell
