The Stella Prize 2019 longlist will be announced tonight.
The longlist is made up of twelve books, usually a mix of fiction and non-fiction, memoirs and short stories (all must have been published in 2018).
My record for predicting what will appear on the longlist is poor but nevertheless, I’m having a go. I’ve compiled my list according to the handful of eligible books I’ve read (Cole, Lee, Morris, Patel, Rossmanith, Dovey), the bunch that keep crossing my radar, and those that I simply like the sound of.
The Year of the Farmer by Rosalie Ham
The Arsonist by Chloe Hooper
Shell by Kristina Olsson
Staying by Jessie Cole
Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko
Eggshell Skull by Bri Lee
Axiomatic by Maria Tumarkin
Watermark by Joanna Atherfold Finn
The Biographer’s Lover by Ruby J Murray
The Wasp and the Orchid by Danielle Clode
Jungle Without Water by Sreedhevi Iyer
In the Garden of the Fugitives by Ceridwen Dovey
What gems have I missed?
The shortlist will be announced on March 8 and the winner on April 9, 2019.
How many books typically get shortlisted Kate. Do they tend to be hardbacks? Hope. To because then I could pick up a few in Melbourne before my trip home
Six will be shortlisted. It seems very few books are published in Australia as ‘hardbacks’ – most new releases come out as larger-format paperbacks (does that make sense?) – The Arsonist is an example. That said, my copy of Shell is the most gorgeous hardback, so if that makes the shortlist it would be one to buy.
Are you in Melbourne on holiday?
We are meeting up – could we make it a threesome?
I’d love to if I’m free (and you don’t mind a gate-crasher).
My email address is katrina.w [at] ozemail.com.au
I have Shell but didn’t bring it with me because it’s a bit heavy in the suitcase. Yes I’ll be visiting Melbourne as part of a holiday in NZ and Australia – Melbourne is our last stop
Great list, Kate
I was thinking that Wright’s You daughter’s of freedom could be in the list. There are a couple of biographies too but I haven’t seen a lot of buzz about them. Genre possibilities include Angela Meyer’s A superior spectre.
Wish I could make the catchup a foursome!!
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