Longlist and Shortlists: Orange and Lambda Contenders Announced
The longlist for this year's Orange Prize for fiction by women is out, and the chief judge is a little worn down by her year of reading:
There comes a point halfway through the process where you think: 'Is it me or them?' You just can't bear it any more. And then you come across this joyful book.
Here are the 20 early contenders, which, in keeping with US and UK publishing schedules, include books well-known here (Wolf Hall, The Lacuna, The Help), ones that should be better known here (Small Wars, This Is How, Black Water Rising, Secret Son), ones just about to arrive here (The Long Song, The Rehearsal), and ones not yet picked up in the US yet (marked with a "UK" below, and a link to Amazon.co.uk). (The shortlist will be named April 20, and the winner June 9.):
- The Very Thought of You by Rosie Alison (UK)
- The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton
- Savage Lands by Clare Clark
- Hearts and Minds by Amanda Craig (UK)
- The Way Things Look to Me by Roopa Farooki (UK)
- The Twisted Heart by Rebecca Gowers
- This Is How by M.J. Hyland
- Small Wars by Sadie Jones
- The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
- Secret Son by Laila Lalami
- The Long Song by Andrea Levy
- Black Water Rising by Attica Locke
- The Wilding by Maria McCann (UK)
- Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
- Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohamed
- A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore
- The White Woman on the Green Bicycle by Monique Roffey (UK)
- The Still Point by Amy Sackville (UK)
- The Help by Kathryn Stockett
- The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
And today the Lambda Literary Awards announced a long list of shortlists: the nominees for their 23 category awards. Too many to list here, but here are two high-profile categories:
Lesbian Fiction:
- Dismantled by Jennifer McMahon
- A Field Guide to Deception by Jill Malone
- Forgetting the Alamo, or, Blood Memory by Emma Perez
- Risk by Elana Dykewomon
- This One's Going to Last Forever by Naime Holtz
Gay Memoir/Biography:
- Ardent Spirits by Reynolds Price
- City Boy by Edmund White
- Deflowered by Jon Ginoli
- Once You Go Back by Douglas A. Martin
- The Pure Lover by David Plante
Tony Valenzuela on March 19, 2010 at 11:46 AM
The Lambda Literary Foundation nurtures, celebrates, and preserves LGBT literature through programs that honor excellence, promote visibility and encourage development of emerging writers.
Reverend M on March 19, 2010 at 03:03 PM
DJ Campbell, I think you have Lambda confused with Nambla.
Mel Green on March 19, 2010 at 03:03 PM
I'm guessing that D J Campbell doesn't know the difference between Lambda & NAMBLA.
Colleen Lindsay on March 19, 2010 at 03:09 PM
DJ Campbell -
That was about as ignorant - and factually incorrect - a comment as I have ever seen on the Omnivoracious blog. Please do your homework before posting things like this.
CBL
Terry DeCrescenzo on March 19, 2010 at 06:15 PM
As a published academic writer, lesbian activist for many years, psychotherapist who has appeard in the media with NAMBLA members, and member of the Lambda Literary Foundation's Board of Directors, I would like to respectfully request that the posting from D.J. Campbell be delisted by the host. I am NO FAN of censorship, but this really is how destructive rumors start and then are inflamed by impassioned, but uninformed rhetoric. The Lambda Literary Foundation exists for the sole purpose of nurturing and celebrating our LGBT writers and the writing community (publishers, book sellers, reviewers, anything where writing and LGBT come together). As far as I know, LLF (Lambda Literary Foundation) has NEVER taken a public position on a political or social issue. It would be a clear violation of LLF's non-profit 501c(3) status to engage in political activism, and a risk that LLF would not ever take, in my opinion. NAMBLA is an acronym for "North American Man Boy Love Association", whose mission is to "end the extreme oppression of men and boys in mutually consensual relationships..." How does that IN ANY way relate to supporting LGBT writers? This is NOT the venue for a debate over the age of consent, or even what "consent" by children with the executive part of their brains still in development MEANS, sexually or otherwise. Other postings have suggested that D.J. Campbell just does not know the difference between LLF and NAMBLA, and they are probably correct. Nonetheless, I respectfully repeat my request that the posting be deleted, or that at least D.J. Campbell, post an acknowledgment that (s)he simply made a mistake in the name of the organization.
Judith Markowitz on March 20, 2010 at 02:21 PM
I would like to add my objection to DJ Campbell's uninformed and offensive comments about Lambda Literary Foundation. A retraction and an apology would be the civil things for DJ Campbell to do.
D J Campbell on March 20, 2010 at 06:21 PM
I do apologize - I was mistaken and should have double-checked my "facts" before posting.
Please accept my most humble and deeply sincere apology.
Tom on March 20, 2010 at 10:41 PM
Thanks, everyone. I have to say, this may be the most (the only?) civil discussion and resolution of a topic like this I've ever seen on the internet. I really appreciate it. We tend to let comments stand here, but I have deleted the original comment in this case, since it has been retracted and so that it won't continue to stand as misinformation. Thanks again everyone for responding with facts and without rancor.