Berg was awarded the prize and a check for CHF30,000 (nearly $31,000) on Sunday at the BuchBasel book festivalExternal link in the north-western city of Basel.
Jury member Christine Richard lauded the novel for its sharp social criticism.
In her book, the author, who was born in the German city of Weimar and now lives in Switzerland, accompanies four young people through a socially divided Great Britain in which artificial intelligence has taken control.
Berg has “succeeded in writing a novel that is formally avant-garde and that captivates the readers in its innermost content,” the jury said in its decision.
The four other authors shortlisted will each receive CHF3,000 Swiss francs. The are Simone Lappert, who was nominated for “Der Sprung”, Tabea Steiner for “Balg”, Alain Claude Sulzer for “Unhaltbare Zustände” and Ivna Žic for “Die Nachkommende”.
German-language books in focus
The Swiss Book Prize 2008 was initiated by the Basel Literature Association and the Swiss Booksellers and Publishers Association (SBVV). Swiss authors or authors living in Switzerland with German-language literary and essayistic works can apply for the Swiss Book Prize.
A total of 71 novels and essays from 45 publishers were reviewed by the jury this year.
The Swiss Book Prize is considered the most important literary award in Switzerland alongside the Grand Prix Literature, which is awarded by the Federal Office of Culture.
While all language regions of Switzerland are considered for the Grand Prix, only German-language works can be awarded the Book Prize.
More
More
Peter Stamm wins 2018 Swiss Book Prize
This content was published on
Swiss author Peter Stamm has won the 2018 Swiss Book Prize for his latest novel “Die sanfte Gleichgültigkeit der Welt”.
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
Ukrainian children flown to Switzerland for cancer treatment
This content was published on
The Swiss air rescue service Rega flew two Ukrainian children with cancer to Switzerland from a hospital in Kyiv hit by Russian missiles.
Swiss Solidarity raises over CHF10 million for victims of extreme weather
This content was published on
The money raised will be used to help those affected by the recent storms and flooding in the cantons of Ticino, Graubünden, and Valais.
Swiss giant Roche given green light for lung cancer drug in Canada
This content was published on
According to a recent study, Roche’s Alecensaro reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 76% compared to chemotherapy alone.
Swiss luxury watch market hit hard by China-led slump
This content was published on
Sales of Swiss-made luxury watches are in sharp retreat as nervous consumers reconsider splashing out on expensive timepieces and demand slumps.
Swiss foreign minister briefs Russian counterpart on Ukraine peace summit
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in New York, during Russia's presidency of the UN Security Council.
Criminal proceedings filed over Swiss components in Russian weapons
This content was published on
The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs has opened more than 50 administrative criminal proceedings for violations of sanctions against Russia.
This content was published on
The 2019 Nobel Prize for Literature went to Austrian writer Peter Handke. One hundred years ago it was Swiss poet Carl Spitteler who won the award.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.