I don’t announce all shortlists and awards but I do like to follow the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards so am announcing its shortlist for fiction for 2012:
- All That I Am by Anna Funder
- Sarah Thornhill by Kate Grenville
- Foal’s Bread by Gillian Mears (My review)
- Autumn Laing by Alex Miller
- Forecast: Turbulence by Janette Turner Hospital
One of the reasons I like to take note of the Prime Minister’s Awards is that it seems depart a little from the other awards around the country. For example, in 2011 the award went to Stephen Daisley’s Traitor, a book that received little notice in other national awards. And in 2010, Eva Hornung‘s wonderful Dog boy won. It also had received little recognition elsewhere. This year’s shortlist contains only two novels in the Miles Franklin shortlist – those by Mears and Funder – and Miller’s novel was longlisted. I’m not saying this is a totally bad thing. In fact, it demonstrates the depth of writing in Australia.
What particularly pleases me about this year’s list is the inclusion of Janette Turner Hospital. It’s been a while since we’ve heard from her, but I do have Forecast: Turbulence, a short story collection, on my Kindle. This just might be the incentive for me to bump it up my reading priority order.
Two new categories were added to the Awards this year: Poetry and History (this latter having previously been a separate award). The complete shortlist can be seen on the Office for the Arts website.
Whispering Gums 
I do like the history & N/F shortlists as well, and over time usually try to chase up the titles on that. It’s good publicity for the authors because other N/F awards don’t always get as much publicity as the fiction ones.
Oh yes, I do too Lisa … But as I don’t seem to get to read many of them at present – still have one from last year’s shortlist unread, the only one I bought – I thought I’d just focus on fiction now. If I get to the event again this year I’ll report more then? Deal?
Can you go to the ceremony? That *would* be nice!
Last year I went to the panel discussion with the winners in the afternoon, not to the actual announcement in the morning, and it was excellent. It would be nice to be at the announcement but the panel discussion was of more interest to me. I think the announcement was a pretty short and simple affair.
That’s an advantage of announcing it in the daytime, I guess.
Yes, I think so … Not so much glitz but probably more focus as a result on the books?
I remember loving Janet Turner Hospital’s early work. I would love to read this new book and am glad to hear her book is short-listed. I’d also love to read Gillian Mears’ new work. I think you reviewed it earlier (sorry on phone here!)?
Oh yes, Catherine, I like Hospital a lot too … she can push metaphors to their limit sometimes but I like her. I think I’ve read almost all her works (with a couple of gaps). And yes, I did read and review Mears a couple of months ago.
I think the short list is very good. I am glad to see Autumn Laing on the list. I was disappointed that it missed being selected for the Miles Franklin Short List. I like to be at the panel discussion that would be fascinating. Forecast: Turblance would be an excellent choice for many reasons. It is a great read of short stories that are so thoughtful;, and excuse my cheekiness, but descibes our government as it is at the moment.
Thanks Meg … I like Miller but haven’t read this yet. The title appeals to me for a start! Maybe I’ll read Hospital when we go to Kununurra since it is on my Kindle.
Lookee all the women!!
Good, eh?
Yes I noticed an all-women list and initially thought it was a sort of Orange Prize. How different from the way the rest of the world is going!
Not quite all women Catherine but more than half. Quite a change from some recent Miles Franklins!