British/UK Fiction
- 2008 Orange Prize for Fiction
- The 50 Greatest Crime Writers
- British Book Awards Winners
- Classic Novels "Cheat"
- British Book Awards Shortlists
- Bodleian Library To Open Its Doors
- World Book Day Winners
- Spread The Word
- The Best of Booker
- The Most Borrowed Classic Books
Posted by
Elizabeth Gregory
Elizabeth Gregory
The shortlist for this year's Orange Prize for Fiction has just been announced, with Rose Tremain emerging as the early favourite to scoop the prize.
The Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction is now in its thirteenth year, and this year's strong shortlist suggests that there are more talented women writing than ever before. This year's list is also notable for including three debut novelists: Patricia Wood, Sadie Jones and Heather O'Neill.
The award was set up in 1996, and awards an annual prize of £30,000 to the best work of fiction written by a woman. The prize is international, rewarding novels written in English and published in the UK, but not necessarily by British writers - two of this year's list, Nancy Huston and Heather O'Neill, are Canadian.
Full Shortlist
Fault Lines by Nancy Huston
The Outcast by Sadie Jones
When We Were Bad by Charlotte Mendelson
Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O’Neill
The Road Home by Rose Tremain
Lottery by Patricia Wood
The award was set up in 1996, and awards an annual prize of £30,000 to the best work of fiction written by a woman. The prize is international, rewarding novels written in English and published in the UK, but not necessarily by British writers - two of this year's list, Nancy Huston and Heather O'Neill, are Canadian.
Full Shortlist
Fault Lines by Nancy Huston
The Outcast by Sadie Jones
When We Were Bad by Charlotte Mendelson
Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O’Neill
The Road Home by Rose Tremain
Lottery by Patricia Wood
Posted by
Elizabeth Gregory
Elizabeth Gregory
The Times has published a list of the 50 Greatest Crime Writers of all time - who makes the top ten, and who has been overlooked?
Lists of favourite writers or books are a tricky thing, inevitably subjective and bound to omit works which other people would find essential. This week's list, published in the Books section of The Times, was created by Marcel Berlins, crime fiction reviewer for the paper, and is therefore the opinion of just one man. The question is, do you agree with his choices? His top five was as follows:
1. Patricia Highsmith
2. Georges Simenon
3. Agatha Christie
4. Raymond Chandler
5. Elmore Leonard
All undeniably great writers. But where are the more recent champions of the crime novel? Ian Rankin, creator of Rebus, just scrapes into the Top Ten at number 9, while the phenomenally successful Patricia Cornwell languishes at number 38. There is no place for either Kathy Reichs or Karin Slaughter, and the prolific Val McDermid manages number 28. No Jack Reacher? James Ellroy - creator of L.A. Confidential - at number 20?
Crime novels really do seem to be flavour of the month at the moment, and whilst we should rightfully acknowledge the pioneers of the genre, it seems unreasonable to overlook some of the modern masters. Check out the full list and have your say at The Times website.
1. Patricia Highsmith
2. Georges Simenon
3. Agatha Christie
4. Raymond Chandler
5. Elmore Leonard
All undeniably great writers. But where are the more recent champions of the crime novel? Ian Rankin, creator of Rebus, just scrapes into the Top Ten at number 9, while the phenomenally successful Patricia Cornwell languishes at number 38. There is no place for either Kathy Reichs or Karin Slaughter, and the prolific Val McDermid manages number 28. No Jack Reacher? James Ellroy - creator of L.A. Confidential - at number 20?
Crime novels really do seem to be flavour of the month at the moment, and whilst we should rightfully acknowledge the pioneers of the genre, it seems unreasonable to overlook some of the modern masters. Check out the full list and have your say at The Times website.
Posted by
Elizabeth Gregory
Elizabeth Gregory
The Galaxy British Book Awards, the "Oscars" of the British publishing industry, took place last week. So who were the winners and the losers this year?
Not too many surprises at this year's Nibbies - so called because the winners receive a trophy in the shape of a pen nib - with Ian McEwan receiving two major awards for his recent novella On Chesil Beach. This short but moving tale scooped both the Galaxy Book of the Year Award and The Reader's Digest Author of the Year prize.
Richard & Judy's Best Read of the Year Award - the winning of which seems a licence to print money - was won by Khaled Hosseini for A Thousand Splendid Suns, the already immensely successful follow-up to The Kite Runner.
Controversy was avoided when Katie Price failed to win the WHSmith Children's Book of the Year - instead the prize went to Francesca Simon for Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman.
A full list of winners is available at the Publishing News website.
Richard & Judy's Best Read of the Year Award - the winning of which seems a licence to print money - was won by Khaled Hosseini for A Thousand Splendid Suns, the already immensely successful follow-up to The Kite Runner.
Controversy was avoided when Katie Price failed to win the WHSmith Children's Book of the Year - instead the prize went to Francesca Simon for Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman.
A full list of winners is available at the Publishing News website.
Posted by
Elizabeth Gregory
Elizabeth Gregory
A new poll commissioned by academic bookstore Blackwell's has discovered that Brits are not adverse to the odd cheat at school...
One in 10 British people surveyed by the poll admitted to having cheated at school by watching film adaptations of classic novels rather than actually reading the book itself.
The survey of more than 2000 people suggested that Londoners are the worst culprits, with 16% admitting this time-saving tactic. Perhaps the only surprise in these figures for British teachers will be that the numbers are not higher!
The poll also revealed that the favourite classic book for women is Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, whereas classic of choice for men is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
The survey of more than 2000 people suggested that Londoners are the worst culprits, with 16% admitting this time-saving tactic. Perhaps the only surprise in these figures for British teachers will be that the numbers are not higher!
The poll also revealed that the favourite classic book for women is Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, whereas classic of choice for men is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
British Book Awards Shortlists
Posted by
Elizabeth Gregory
Elizabeth Gregory
Some controversial choices amongst the shortlists for the year's "Nibbies", with Katie Price up for Best Children's Book.
The nominees for the prestigious Galaxy British Books Awards - the "Oscars" of the British book industry - have been announced. The awards, known as the "Nibbies" as winners receive a statuette in the shape of a pen nib, will be handed out by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan on April 9th.
Katie Price - Best Children's Book?
The nominee lists contain few surprises - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Khaled Hosseini, Doris Lessing, Ian McEwan and David Peace up for Reader's Digest Author of the Year, for example - but the name that has provoked the most comment is that of Katie Price, better known as former glamour model Jordan. She is listed for the WH Smith Children's Book of the Year Award for My Pony Care Book, despite admitting using the services of a ghost writer to help her produce the book. Response to this has been mixed, with many feeling her inclusion on a prestigious list including Michael Morpurgo and Jacqueline Wilson is nothing but an insult, whilst a few have defended the book and said it has every right to be on the list.
Whatever happens, all the nominees will receive plenty of publicity in the coming weeks, suggesting that even those who don't win will feel the benefit on increased book sales.
British Book Awards Shortlists in Full
Check out the full list of nominees and cast your vote at the Awards homepage.
Katie Price - Best Children's Book?
The nominee lists contain few surprises - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Khaled Hosseini, Doris Lessing, Ian McEwan and David Peace up for Reader's Digest Author of the Year, for example - but the name that has provoked the most comment is that of Katie Price, better known as former glamour model Jordan. She is listed for the WH Smith Children's Book of the Year Award for My Pony Care Book, despite admitting using the services of a ghost writer to help her produce the book. Response to this has been mixed, with many feeling her inclusion on a prestigious list including Michael Morpurgo and Jacqueline Wilson is nothing but an insult, whilst a few have defended the book and said it has every right to be on the list.
Whatever happens, all the nominees will receive plenty of publicity in the coming weeks, suggesting that even those who don't win will feel the benefit on increased book sales.
British Book Awards Shortlists in Full
Check out the full list of nominees and cast your vote at the Awards homepage.
Bodleian Library To Open Its Doors
Posted by
Elizabeth Gregory
Elizabeth Gregory
Exciting news for anyone interested in books and the history of their publication.
One of the UK's most famous libraries has received funding to allow the public to see its collection of rare manuscript treasures.The Bodleian Library in Oxford is one of Britain's oldest and most beautiful libraries, founded in 1602 and the guardian of many priceless literary works.
Shakespeare First Folio 1623
As a library of legal deposit, the Bodleian by law receives a copy of every book published in every year dating back over the last four centuries - and therefore counts amongst its holdings a copy of the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays, printed in 1623. Other delights include a Gutenberg Bible (one of eight surviving copies), original Tolkien drawings and Gustav Holst's score for The Planet Suite.
All these and more will be on display after a redevelopment of the New Bodleian building, made possible thanks to a £5 million donation from Julian Blackwell. The bad news? The collection won't be on show until sometime after 2010: keep an eye on the Bodleian website for more details.
Shakespeare First Folio 1623
As a library of legal deposit, the Bodleian by law receives a copy of every book published in every year dating back over the last four centuries - and therefore counts amongst its holdings a copy of the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays, printed in 1623. Other delights include a Gutenberg Bible (one of eight surviving copies), original Tolkien drawings and Gustav Holst's score for The Planet Suite.
All these and more will be on display after a redevelopment of the New Bodleian building, made possible thanks to a £5 million donation from Julian Blackwell. The bad news? The collection won't be on show until sometime after 2010: keep an eye on the Bodleian website for more details.
Posted by
Elizabeth Gregory
Elizabeth Gregory
Thursday 6th March was World Book Day in the UK, and the winner of the "Book to Talk About" award has been announced.
Congratulations to young British writer Jonathan Trigell, who yesterday won the World Book Day "Book to Talk About" award with his brilliant but controversial novel Boy A.
His margin of victory was convincing, as Trigell polled 21% of the total votes, some 7% ahead of the second placed Ishq and Mushq. Trigell's book was originally published in 2004 to rave reviews, and was the winner of the prestigious John Llewellyn Rhys Prize in that year. The book's current popularity may in part be due to the dramatisation screened by Channel 4 last year to great acclaim.
Trigell's second novel Cham was published last year and he is currently working on his third. Nice to see someone with a Manchester connection doing so well - he completed an MA here in Creative Writing in 2002.
His margin of victory was convincing, as Trigell polled 21% of the total votes, some 7% ahead of the second placed Ishq and Mushq. Trigell's book was originally published in 2004 to rave reviews, and was the winner of the prestigious John Llewellyn Rhys Prize in that year. The book's current popularity may in part be due to the dramatisation screened by Channel 4 last year to great acclaim.
Trigell's second novel Cham was published last year and he is currently working on his third. Nice to see someone with a Manchester connection doing so well - he completed an MA here in Creative Writing in 2002.
Posted by
Elizabeth Gregory
Elizabeth Gregory
The poll is now closed to find "The Book to Talk About" in 2008, with the results to be announced next Thursday on World Book Day.
World Book Day falls on 6th March in the UK, and as part of the celebrations readers have been asked to "Spread the Word" about books worth talking about.
The short-listed choices are:
The short-listed choices are:
- Lint, Steve Aylett
- Speaking of Love, Angela Young
- Death of a Murderer, Rupert Thomson
- Before I Die, Jenny Downham
- Boy A, Jonathan Trigell
- Playing with the Moon, Eliza Graham
- Salt & Honey. Candi Miller
- Ishq and Mushq, Priya Basil
- Gods in Alabama, Joshilyn Jackson
- In Cold Daylight, Pauline Rowson
Posted by
Elizabeth Gregory
Elizabeth Gregory
It was announced on Thursday 21st February that there will be a one-off prize awarded this year to mark the 40th anniversary of the Man Booker Prize.
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction was first awarded in April 1969, and will celebrate its 40th birthday by awarding a prize to the novel considered the best overall work to have won the prize in that time.
The Best of Booker winner will be announced in July, and the public will be able to vote for their favourite from a shortlist of six that will be announced by Victoria Glendinning in March.
Salman Rushdie's 1981 winner Midnight's Children is already the favourite to scoop this prestigious new prize - the same novel that won the Booker of Bookers Prize in 1993 to celebrate the 25th anniversary.
Have your say at the Man Booker website, and keep an eye on this page - I'll publish further details of the final six contenders as soon as I get them!
The Best of Booker winner will be announced in July, and the public will be able to vote for their favourite from a shortlist of six that will be announced by Victoria Glendinning in March.
Salman Rushdie's 1981 winner Midnight's Children is already the favourite to scoop this prestigious new prize - the same novel that won the Booker of Bookers Prize in 1993 to celebrate the 25th anniversary.
Have your say at the Man Booker website, and keep an eye on this page - I'll publish further details of the final six contenders as soon as I get them!
The Most Borrowed Classic Books
Posted by
Elizabeth Gregory
Elizabeth Gregory
Which are the books that never go out of fashion?
As we saw last week in the top ten most borrowed books from UK libraries, fashions come and go - at the moment we seem to be loving crime novels and anything promoted by Richard and Judy!
There are some books, however, that seem forever popular. Here are the top ten most borrowed classic novels, some of which were published over 150 years ago but show no sign of falling out of favour:
Most Borrowed Classic Novels
There are some books, however, that seem forever popular. Here are the top ten most borrowed classic novels, some of which were published over 150 years ago but show no sign of falling out of favour:
Most Borrowed Classic Novels
- JD Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye
- Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca
- Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre
- Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
- Jane Austen, Persuasion
- Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights
- Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird (a different edition)
- Daphne du Maurier, Jamaica Inn
- Agatha Christie, The Hollow
- Daphne du Maurier, Frenchman's Creek
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