LONDON: Big names were absent from the list of contenders for the prestigious British Literary Prize, which was announced on Tuesday, and ranged between a writer in the twenties for her first novel, and the last eighty who became the dean of the age of the candidates, and the organizers explained that they wanted through it to express the “fears of the planet” of the Earth.
“The thirteen books of course reflect and allow reflection on the planet’s concerns in recent years,” Jury Chair Neil MacGregor noted, in a statement, referring specifically to disease, racial and gender issues, or even the fragility of the political system.
Twenty-year-old American Leila Motley became the youngest nominee for the prestigious literary prize in her history, for her first novel, “Nightcrawling”, which deals with the story of the main character in the failure of the judicial system that persecutes young black women.
In contrast, Britain’s Alan Garner became the dean of nominees in the award’s history. Garner, 88, was chosen at the awards ceremony in October for his novel “Treacle Walker.”
The shortlist for nominations also included Small Things Like This, a short novel by Irish writer Claire Keegan, which won the Orwell Prize for political novels in mid-July, for the story of a timber and coal merchant in Ireland in 1985.
The list also included four other novelists who had previously been nominated for the Booker Prize (there were six last year), they are No Violet Bulawayo from Zimbabwe for “Glory”, American Karen Joy Fowler for “Booth” and British Graeme Macrae Burnett for “Study” Case Study and American Elizabeth Strout for Oh William!
A jury comprising five members chose the thirteen works from among 169 novels published in Britain or Ireland between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022. Eight of the thirteen names selected were women, while three were chosen for their first novels. .
Last year, the award was given to South African novelist and playwright Damon Galgot for his book “The Promise,” whose book takes place between the end of apartheid and the presidency of Jacob Zuma, and depicts the gradual dissolution of a white family from Pretoria as the country progresses toward democracy.
The six finalists will be announced on September 6, and the winner will be announced on October 17, and he will receive a cash prize of 50,000 pounds (about $60,000) in addition to the global fame that the title provides.
(AFP)