Author(s): Urszula Honek (Author) , Kate Webster (Translated by)

Short Stories | Translated fiction | Poland | 2024 International Booker Prize long list

 Interconnected stories concerning the various tragedies and misfortunes that befall a group of people who all grew up and live(d) in the Beskid Mountains in southern Poland. Each story centres a different character and how they manage to survive despite the poverty, disappointment, tragedy, despair, brutality and futility that surrounds them.

”The book’s strength lies in its ability to capture the intense, dreamlike quality of its setting, where the natural phenomenon of ‘white nights’ serves as a backdrop for the characters’ introspective journeys. White Nights is a dark, lyrical exploration of the ways in which people seek meaning and belonging in a transient world.” —International Booker Prize judges’ citation