Clemens Meyer

Clemens Meyer is a German writer. Bricks and Mortar, his first novel published in English, was shortlisted for the German Book Prize, awarded the Bremer Literaturpreis 2014, longlisted for the 2017 Man Booker International Prize, and shortlisted for the 2019 Best Translated Book Awards.

Clemens Meyer was born in Halle an der Saale. While studying at the German Literature Institute, Leipzig, he spent time in a youth detention centre. His diverse professional background includes stints as a security guard, forklift driver, and construction worker, offering him a wealth of life experiences.

His debut novel, Als wir träumten (While We Were Dreaming), published in 2006, garnered widespread acclaim and numerous awards, including the Rheingau Literatur Preis in 2006. This novel unfolds the coming-of-age stories of friends navigating the challenges of post-Berlin Wall East Germany. The book was later adapted into a film released in 2015.

His second novel, "Die Nacht, die Lichter" (All the Lights, 2008), translated by Katy Derbyshire, clinched the Leipzig Book Fair Prize in 2008. This work delves into the struggles of those who have faced setbacks in life and love.

Meyer's literary repertoire expanded with "Gewalten" (Acts of Violence), a diary of 2009 told through eleven stories, and "Im Stein" (Bricks and Mortar) in 2013. The latter, translated by Katy Derbyshire, was longlisted for the German Book Prize, won the Bremer Literaturpreis in 2014, and earned a spot on the shortlist for the Deutsche Buchpreis in 2013.

His novel "Die stillen Trabanten" (Dark Satellites, 2017), translated by Katy Derbyshire, was published by Fitzcarraldo Editions in 2020.

Besides novels, Clemens Meyer has written short stories and collected writings, including "Die Nacht, die Lichter" (All the Lights, 2008) and "Der Untergang der Äkschn GmbH: Frankfurter Poetikvorlesungen" (The Downfall of Action Ltd.: Frankfurt poetics lectures, 2016).

The accolades for Clemens Meyer include winning the Leipzig Book Fair Prize in 2008 and the German Screenplay Award in 2015 for "In the Aisles."

In addition, Clemens Meyer has ventured into film, contributing to screenplays for productions such as Herbert (2015) and In the Aisles (2018).

His While We Were Dreaming was longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2023.