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Thursday, November 10, 2011

Green Carnation Prize Shortlist 2011

The judges have announced the Green Carnation Prize Shortlist 2011:
  • The Strange Case of the Composer and his Judge – Patricia Duncker (Bloomsbury)
  • The Proof of Love – Catherine Hall (Portobello)
  • Red Dust Road – Jackie Kay (Picador)
  • Remembrance of Things I Forgot – Bob Smith (Terrace Books)
  • Ever Fallen in Love – Zoe Strachan (Sandstone Press)
  • The Empty Family – Colm Toibin (Penguin Books)

Half a dozen books, a good mix of novel, short story, and memoir. Four written by women, two by men. But all but one--as far as I can tell--primarily about men (despite the jacket art). The exception is Jackie Kay's Red Dust Road.

When the longlist was announced I downloaded sample chapters from several of them and skimmed, but I haven't read any of the short listed books all the way through. Which is why I'm not absolutely certain of my about-men/about-women ratio. But I've talked often enough about literary prizes and girl cooties. I would love to be horribly wrong about this, especially for an LGBT prize.

ETA: One of the judges this year, Stella Duffy, corrects me in the comments below. Do go read her remarks.