21st Century Literature discussion

Are there any literary prizes you are looking forward to this year? Which ones? Do you plan to read from any of the prize short or long lists, or the winners? Any new prizes on your radar or ones you discovered in 2024?

Not a huge follower of lit prizes (in terms of actually reading, or attempting to read, and short or long lists). I probably follow the UK and US/Canada Republic of Consciousness Prizes the closest of all and usually end up reading a handful of the nominees. I loosely follow the Booker and the Women's Prize. And I have interest in the Nebula Awards (since I don't follow the sci/fi and fantasy genre closely) and the comic/graphic novel awards (Eisner and Ignatz awards). I discovered the Inside Literary Prize (judged by prisoners) in 2024, which is a fascinating concept for a prize. A few other prizes on the periphery for me: Gordon Burns and the Neustadt International Prize for Literature.

I read the whole Booker prize list last year and loved the experience, hope to recreate this in 2025 for both the International and the regular Booker!

I enjoy the Carol Shields prize- it’s newer, for US/Canadian writers identifying as female/nonbinary.
And I love the Bookers- especially the International Booker.

I try to follow multiple prizes, as far as what is being listed, but I don’t read as many of the books as I’d like. This is why I live in fear of my TBR pile. If it manifested, I’d be crushed.

Some great suggestions . I lurk on the edges of prizes , often a year or two behind the curve until the clamour for library copies has settled . In the UK the Booker winner can be hit or miss but the long list usually has a couple of gems : last year I enjoyed Stone Yard Devotional and Held . I keep an eye on The Walter Scott , The Booker International and The Forward Prize for Poetry .

I also love to trawl the long lists of old prizes , so many treasures .

I try to read at least some books of the Booker Prize,, also the international Booker and the Woman’s Prize. I follow losely a lot of other prizes and read a big part of the Dutch literary prize lists.

A fellow Dutch speaker! Nice! 🇳🇱

You prize list readers must be among the most organized and disciplined readers I know! I think I have managed to read a shortlist once or twice, but always feels like a stretch (because I don't plan ahead and almost always overestimate my reading speed).

I usually check out the shortlists for single author collection, for the Shirley Jackson and Bram Stoker awards.

After checking out samples (and grumbling about them), I'll nominate some for Literary Horror monthly reads.

For me:

The UK Republic of Consciousness Prize - but I'm a bit biased as a Trustee, and have always read the longlist before it's public - indeed I know this year's longlist already :-)

The US Republic of Consciousness Prize - which is out now, and I'm about to get stuck in to. Hope to read all 10 but some are hard to get in UK.

Goldsmiths Prize - feels like a prize made for my tastes, so I read the entire list every year

International Booker - I've also read the longlist every year the prize has existed - but last 2 years have been disappointing, so I may make a call when I see the list

The (Anglo) Booker - I used to follow but last year I didn't read a single one of the list, and rather enjoyed not having done so. So suspect I will only read books others who know my taste recommend - I'm lucky having an identical twin who reads the entire list, usually within the first couple of weeks after it is out. He can tell me if there are any "Paul books"

The Orwell Prize for Fiction is one to watch - getting an impressive track record of identifying the books other prizes later feature. I haven't read the list in past but may pay more attention this year.

Last but definitely not least - the Nobel Prize. I've been ecstatic with the last two winners (Fosse and Han Kang) so fascinated to see what this Committee picks next.

Paul, I just looked at the Nobel winners list and many recent winners are favorites! Kazuo Ishiguro, Olga Tokarczuk, Louise Glück, Annie Ernaux, Doris Lessing. This is an award worth watching! I should seek out works by the handful of winners I haven't read yet!

Each year, I look forward to the Booker Longlist, and the last few years I have read them all. I always seem to find a few favorites.

I also follow the Women's Prize but tend to pick and choose only the books I think I will enjoy.

I usually pick a few off the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction and Orwell Prize lists, as they usually contain a few gems.

I don't know why the Nobel Prize doesn't excited me, especially since I like many of its winners. Maybe because it doesn't feel very revelatory---it's a bit like a sports MVP award. I'm happy for the winners.

Well by definition the author ought already to be famous. And - other than when the jury leaked like a sieve - it is hard to predict and rather arbitrary as to which year it is awarded since it is based on a career not a recent novel. So that rather detracts from the drama.

But the moment those door open and the Chair of the Committee comes out to announce the winner is for me still the most magical moment in literary prize world. I always try to watch it live.

It’s announced in Swedish first so one has to listen carefully for the name. Still remember the year I was idly wondering what a “berb dill ann” meant in Swedish only to realise that, yes, Bob Dylan had just won.

My favorite is the the Baillie Gifford prize with several of my top reads of the year coming from the longlists, and often my best read of the year. The list is nonfiction but much is literary nonfiction and I have not had many disappointments, plus there are usually books I haven't noticed previously.

https://www.thebailliegiffordprize.co...

Otherwise, I get caught up in the prize of the moment with the International Booker most anticipated right now.