The 2022 Stella Prize longlist has been announced (and I picked four, continuing my marginal record):

• Coming of Age in the War on Terror by Randa Abdel-Fattah (nonfiction)
• Take Care by Eunice Andrada (poetry)
• Dropbear by Evelyn Araluen (poetry)
• She is Haunted by Paige Clark (short stories)
• No Document by Anwen Crawford (memoir)
• Bodies of Light by Jennifer Down (novel)
• Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray by Anita Heiss (novel)
• Stone Fruit by Lee Lai (graphic novel)
• Permafrost by SJ Norman (short stories)
• Homecoming by Elfie Shiosaki (memoir)
• The Open by Lucy Van (poetry)
• Another Day in the Colony by Chelsea Watego (nonfiction)

It’s the first year that poetry has been included as an eligible category, and the judges didn’t waste any time – a third of the longlist is poetry. Alas, my favourite category, memoir, is a little light on this year. You can read the judges comments here.

I’ve read one – Bodies of Light – and it’s shameful that I haven’t written a review yet because it was my favourite book of 2021. I have two more about to be started (Clark and Crawford), and a few more on reserve at the library. Will see what I can get through before the shortlist announcement on March 31.