Sunday, March 30, 2008

Seachanges - my lists and progress

This post is cross posted at 51 stories

I always have my eye on Orange Prize Winners and lists and so being part of The Orange Prize Project is an absolute pleasure. There is no ‘must’, I just read the books anyway. The project officially starts this week, on 1 April. So far we have only had a long list for 2008 and I am reading some on this list, but I won’t comment any further as suggested until the short list has been made public. Apart from a few included in the long list and not to be revealed as yet, I have read a good few of the winners and shortlisted ones over the years, at least one in each year except for 1999 (what was I doing?), including:

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2007, winner), reviewed.
The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai (2007), reviewed here.
Digging to America by Anne Tyler (2007), reviewed here.
The Accidental by Ali Smith (2006)
The Night Watch by Sarah Waters (2006), reviewed here.
We Need to Talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver (2005, winner)
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka (2005) reviewed here
Small Island by Andrew Levy (2004, winner)
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (2004)
Unless by Carol Shields (2003)
The Little Friend by Donna Tartt (2003)
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters (2002) reviewed
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood (2001)
White Teeth by Zadie Smith (2000)
Larry’s Party by Carol Shield (1998, winner)
The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve (1998)
Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels (1997, winner)
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood (1997)
Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler (1996)

What am I going to read in 2008 that I have not read yet? On my list are:
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (shortlisted 2004)
Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel (shortlisted) 2006)
The Colour by Rose Tremain

In addition, I am reading or am planning to read some that so far are only on the longlist, but who knows?
When we were bad by Charlotte Mendelson
The Gathering by Anne Enright

And maybe some more…

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