“I feel like we’re at the Oscars for nerds” tweeted Tracey Spicer, ABC Journalist, at tonight’s announcement of the 2017 Stella Prize Longlist. Love it. Nerds of the world unite!
When the longlist (of 12) was announced last year, I had read and reviewed only one of the books. By the end of the year, I had read 6 which I’m satisfied with given how much I read last year overall. This year I haven’t read any (yet)! Really? Where have I been?
The judges are different again to last year’s, with just the chair continuing. They are writer Delia Falconer, bookseller Diana Johnston, writer/memoirist Benjamin Law, academic/Chair of First Nations Australia Writers’ Network Inc. Sandra Phillips, and writer/chair Brenda Walker.
Anyhow, here is the longlist, including, sadly, two posthumous nominations:
- Victoria: the queen by Julia Baird (HarperCollins/Biography)
- Between a wolf and a dog by Georgia Blain (Scribe/Novel) (Posthumous)
- The hate race by Maxine Beneba Clarke (Hachette/Memoir)
- Poum and Alexandre by Catherine de Sainte Phalle (Transit Lounge/Novel)
- Offshore: Behind the wire at Manus and Nauru by Madeline Gleeson (NewSouth/Non-fiction)
- Avalanche by Julia Leigh (WW Norton/Memoir)
- An isolated incident by Emily Maguire (Picador/Novel) (Lisa named this as her book of the year last year, so I really should make this a priority)
- The high places: Stories by Fiona McFarlane (Farrar, Straus and Giroux/Short stories)
- Wasted: A story of alcohol, grief and a death in Brisbane by Elspeth Muir (Text/Biography-Memoir)
- The museum of modern love by Heather Rose (Allen & Unwin/Novel)
- Dying: A memoir by Cory Taylor (Text/Memoir) (Posthumous)
- The media and the massacre: Port Arthur 1996-2016 by Sonya Voumard (Transit Lounge/Nonfiction)
As usual a mixed lot, but a different mix to last year’s. There’s significantly more non-fiction (more than half in fact), including a few memoirs – and fewer short stories. I suppose it’s purely coincidental, but I was surprised at the number of memoirs/autobiographies/biographies I read last year. Are memoirs making a come-back? I note that the list seems to be rather low on “diversity”, but two of the judges could be seen to represent diverse backgrounds, so presumably that issue was canvassed.
I have read and liked all the Stella Prize winners to date: Carrie Tiffany’s Mateship with birds, Clare Wright’s The forgotten rebels of Eureka, Emily Bitto’s The strays and Charlotte Wood’s The natural way of things. I look forward to seeing which of the above books wins this year …
The shortlist will be announced on March 8, and the winner on April 18.
Whispering Gums 
Interesting list & I’ve only read 1 – The Hate Race.
Good for you Brona, thats a start. My daughter received it for Christmas so I will hopefully borrow it sometime.
An interesting list… guess it shows the diversity of genres, if not the diversity of the women writing them 😉
I’ve read “Dying: A memoir” and “The media and the massacre” and have a couple of others on my list… but, as per usual, most of these aren’t available in the UK.
Oh, you’re doing well kimbofo! And yes, certainly some diversity in genres and subject matter, that’s for sure.
I’ve just checked Amazon… all but An Isolated Incident are available as Kindle editions, so it’s not as bad as I thought… I just don’t much like reading Kindle books.
No I don’t either, but if you really want something the eBook can be wonderful. My rule of thumb is non-Australian books on kindle, Australia on paper, but I break that rule every now and then when I want some Aussie book NOW!
It is certainly a mixed lot. I have read six of the nominations and have a few on reserve at the library. I read An Isolated Incident last year, and it still lingers in my mind. An excellent read.
Your reading is very impressive Meg. And clearly I need to read the Maguire, don’t I? What is your pick so far – or would you rather not say?
The prize winner may make it over here….
Lovely if it did Guy.
I’ll say
Love your interest in Aussie lit, Guy.
I really have you. Lisa and Text to thank to be honest
Wow, that’s great to know Guy. I hadn’t quite realised that.
You haven’t read any of the books on the longlist? Tsk tsk! Better get going! 😉 Seriously though, I like how the prize mixes genres instead of giving them all their own category. it must make for some interesting judges discussions!
I like that aspect too Stefanie. I’m sure it makes things interesting for judges and wouldn’t we love to eavesdrop on their spirited conversations!
We sure would Karenlee. I bet there are some great laughs as well as intense discussions on all sorts of topics.
Yes it must I agree Stefanie… But I agree. Thus was one of their founding principles. So far the winner has been literary fiction every time but one. It will be interesting to see what happens this time.
That makes me want to cheer for a nonfiction title!
You must be an Aussie deep-down Stefanie – cheering for the underdog! It’s going to be a tough one I’d say because some of that fiction is very strong. Next stop the shortlist …
Can I be an honorary Aussie? 😀
You’ll have to learn the Aussie salute and how to throw a prawn on the barbie, you know! But yes, with those provisos I reckon you can!
Hmm, well I won’t be throwing any prawns on the barbie, can we sub with veg? If so, I’m all in!
Well, just for you (but, shh, don’t tell anyone).
Our secret!
Absolutely – I know you’re trustworthy and won’t breathe it to a soul or I wouldn’t make this concession.
Thanks for the link:), much appreciated!
I’ve also read the Voumard (excellent, it was on my Best Books for 2016 list too https://anzlitlovers.com/2016/05/13/the-media-and-the-massacre-by-sonya-voumard/) and the Blain (her best book yet, such a loss). I reviewed it a month before she died, and I’m glad I did because I don’t think I could have written it in the same way if I’d read it afterward: https://anzlitlovers.com/2016/11/02/between-a-wolf-and-a-dog-by-georgia-blain/
And I’m about half way through Heather Rose’s one. It’s much more cerebral than I had expected.
PS I’m not surprised by the cringeworthy tweet: I have been to some of these award presentation ceremonies and discovered that (if they read at all) most of the rent-a-crowd media people I met never read any literary fiction, and that Australian books are not on their radar.
Why did you go into moderation, Lisa!? WordPress can be weird can’t it?
Yes I have to read the Blain too. And many of the others!
Because I had two links in my comment, probably. Akismet automatically puts comments into moderation if they have multiple links:)
Oh yes, of course. I keep forgetting it does that. Thanks for reminding me.
Looks like an interesting list. I have also noticed how many memoirs there seem to be out there. Everyone is getting old and looking back on their life. Is that it? I want to read the media one related to Port Arthur and other incidents. Sounds interesting.
Yes, it is interesting isn’t it, Pam – and they are moving beyond that 1990s phase of misery memoirs to things a little more “nuanced” I think, albeit that most memoirs deal with hard stuff because that’s what’s interesting it seems!!
Lisa Hill made a very interesting comment elsewhere, noting that there was no genre fiction on the longlist (and nor had genre fiction ever been on the longlist). Yet this year when the Prize opened apparently the organisers specifically mentioned the high numbers of women writing in genre fiction categories (eg romance, crime, speculative fiction, etc). Drawing on your previous discussion, Sue, I wonder how many publishers bother entering genre fiction into prizes?
Interesting point, Michelle. They did argue when it was established that the prize would be open to genre, and there was some genre in the very first list – Lisa Jacobson’s Sunlit zone (sci fi verse novel) and Margo Lanagan’s Sea hearts (fantasy/sci fi). There has always been historical fiction in the list – starting with The burial in the first list. I don’t think there’s be crime yet (but I’d have to check all the lists.)
There’s always the question of when is genre ALSO literary or when does it BECOME literary, if that makes sense. Of course, I’m suggesting here that a work (genre or not) has to be “literary” (which to me means breaking the mould in some way) to be in the running – because I think the winner does have to be “special” in some way? Is this making sense?
But yes, I was wondering myself, particularly regarding that discussion, what books had been submitted. It would be great to see wouldn’t it.
Sisters in Crime Australia considers Emily Maguire’s An Isolated Incident to be a crime novel 🙂
Thanks Angela! I was wondering if it were, but haven’t read it yet myself, so am glad to have that confirmed.
The Sisters define the genre broadly, embracing works even the authors don’t think of as crime fiction!
Good for them I say… Always better to be inclusive don’t you think!
Couldn’t agree more.
In fiction, Goegia Blain’s and Emily Maguire’s novels are both great – the former making it to my top ten reads of 2016 list.Wasn’t so keen on Fiona McFarlane’s. I haven’t read any of the others, but suspect, given the current ‘climate’, they might go for topical non-fiction: Maxine Beneba Clarke, Madeline Gleeson or Cory Taylor.
Thanks for this input Annette. Yes, I wonder the same about a topical non-fiction perhaps being this year’s winner.
Disappointed that Kim Mahood missed out for ‘Position Doubtful’. The Emily Maguire and Georgia Blain novels are both wonderful and deserve a shortlisting. Looking forward to the shortlist!
Yes, good comment John. I tend not to get into those questions but I’m glad you’ve mentioned that one. I guess we have to presume it was submitted.
I’m pleased to see Julia Leigh’s Avalanche on the long list, a gem of a book.
Again, thanks Angela. I’ve heard her interview on ABC RN and she was wonderfully articulate. I’d love to find time to read it.
It’s a slim volume, Sue, that packs a big punch.
You’re convincing me and “slim” sounds good!
I didnt expect to have read any of these – and i was right! I am however reading Peter Carey at the moment so maybe that will be my salvation for all you Aussie writing advocates.
Not surprised Karen – and would have been mortified if you had! So, thanks! Which Peter Carey are you reading?
it’s Oscar and Lucinda which if my memory is accurate is one you recommended me to go for from my list of remaining Booker titles
Great, yes I would certainly have recommended that one. I really should read it again.
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