The announcement of the Stella Prize Longlist is a red-letter day for the Australian Women Writers Challenge … and also for me of course. So, today, I share the list with you. The shortlist will be announced on March 10.
The judges look good to me: writer Emily Maguire, memoirist/essayist Alice Pung, author/academic Brenda Walker, literary critic/author Geordie Williamson, and bookseller/founder of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation Suzy Wilson.
Anyhow, here is the longlist:
- The women’s pages by Debra Adelaide (Pan Macmillan) (I’ll be reading this soon)
- The other side of the world by Stephanie Bishop (Hachette)
- Panthers and the Museum of Fire by Jen Craig (Spineless Wonders)
- Six bedrooms by Tegan Bennett Daylight (Random House)
- Hope Farm by Peggy Frew (Scribe)
- A few days in the country: And other stories by Elizabeth Harrower (Text) (on my TBR, and now higher in my priority list)
- A guide to Berlin by Gail Jones (Random House)
- The world without us by Mireille Juchau (Bloomsbury)
- A short history of Richard Kline by Amanda Lohrey (Black Inc)
- Anchor point by Alice Robinson (Affirm Press) (my review)
- The natural way of things by Charlotte Wood (Allen & Unwin)
- Small acts of disappearance: Essays on hunger by Fiona Wright (Giramondo)
As is usual for the Stella, the list include novels, short story collections (a few in fact) and non-fiction … And as is usual, I have most on my radar. I have read the first three Stella Prize winners: Carrie Tiffany’s Mateship with birds, Clare Wright’s The forgotten rebels of Eureka and Emily Bittos’s The strays. All have been excellent reads, which augurs well for my enjoyment of this year – although as we have been hearing lately past practice is no predictor of the future!
I’m sorry that this is a basic post … I am holidaying for a few days in a gorgeous Aussie country town, and am without my normal computing facilities. The iPad us not conducive to long post writing. Phew, do I hear you say?
Whispering Gums 
It’s a really good list, seems more diverse than previous years? I’ve read Charlotte Wood, Mireille Juchau, Alice Robinson and The Other Side of the World and liked them all. I have on my shelves several of the others but because of my 2016 reading challenge, can’t read them until next year. I await the shortlist and winner with interest! And look forward to seeing what you make of some of the other titles. Checking your Anchor Point review now.
Thanks Jenny. Good for you having read those. I don’t think it’s more diverse, at least from my memory. One year there was a speculative verse novel. Last year there was a memoir. All years have had short story collections (I think). They are just two small examples from lists that I recollect had a similar mix. It’s something Stella sims to achieve
No ‘phew’ at all – your longest posts are often the most interesting… I was lucky enough to attend the long list announcement last night and the judges were looking for (among other things) engagement and originality.
How lovely Michelle … That was because of your Stella Sparks?
I have four to read from the longlist, and lucky for me my library has them. So I have reserved them and hopefully will read them by 10 March. Enjoy your holiday.
You do such a great job of reading current Aussie writers Meg. I bet you will manage the final four.
We are having a lovely time here in a gorgeous cottage with good friends … But we also look forward to a quiet time at home for a few weeks as this is our fourth trip away since 8 January.
I want to read The Other Side of the World, and I have The Strays on preorder. Your fault.
Have a great holiday! All those books to read, you must sometimes feel that you are a permanent Booker Prize judge! Look forward to reading your posts.
Thanks Ian. Unfortunately I won’t read them all! I know my limits … But will certainly read some of them. I can’t imagine being a book judge.
Apologies Guy! Not.
I’ll be interested to see your reviews of these two books.
I think it’s really great that the prize includes such a mix of genres. Makes things more interesting!
I agree Stefanie. And it’s something they pride themselves on.
I haven’t heard about any of these. Thank you for sharing this list. And, I look forward to reading more about these. 🙂
And, have a great holiday. Will you post some pictures of the Aussie country town? 🙂
Ah Deepika … I tend not to post photos of places I visit unless it relates to a literary post. Sometimes I write literary road post. I wrote this post on a visit here two years ago – https://whisperinggums.com/2014/02/19/wrapping-in-the-rain/ – links in the post will show you the place we are staying. And this earlier post has a few I took of the region including one from the town -https://whisperinggums.com/2010/04/11/on-the-literary-road-in-north-eastvictoria-again/
They’ll give you some idea of this part of Australia, if you are interested.
I loved all of it. Thank you. 🙂
Thanks Deepika … Glad you enjoyed it.
When I heard this list had been released yesterday I immediately thought of you and knew you would be onto it. 🙂 It looks an interesting list that I will be following. Enjoy your holiday.
Thanks Pam … I appreciate your faith but don’t always count on it! I agree though that it’s a good list.