2012 Orange shortlist announced
The Orange Prize for Fiction, the UK’s only annual book award for fiction written by a woman, today announces the 2012 shortlist. Now in its seventeenth year, the Prize celebrates excellence, originality and accessibility in women’s writing throughout the world.
The shortlisted books are:
- Esi Edugyan - Half Blood Blues
- Anne Enright - The Forgotten Waltz
- Georgina Harding - Painter of Silence
- Madeline Miller - The Song of Achilles
- Cynthia Ozick - Foreign Bodies
- Ann Patchett - State of Wonder
This year’s shortlist honours both new and well-established authors, including a debut novelist and a previous Orange Prize winner; Ann Patchett (pictured), who won the Orange Prize for Fiction ten years ago for Bel Canto (2002).
“This is a shortlist of remarkable quality and variety,” commented Joanna Trollope, Chair of judges. “It includes six distinctive voices and subjects, four nationalities and an age range of close on half a century. It is a privilege to present it.”
She continues, "My only regret is that the rules of the prize don't permit a longer shortlist. However, I am confident that the fourteen novels we had to leave out will make their own well-deserved way".
The Prize was set up in 1996 to celebrate and promote fiction by women throughout the world to the widest range of readers possible and is awarded for the best novel of the year written by a woman.
The winner will be presented with a cheque for £30,000 and a limited edition bronze statue known as ‘the Bessie’, created by artist Grizel Niven. Both are anonymously endowed.
“The Orange Prize has gone from strength to strength over the years and has established itself as a major international prize," commented Stuart Jackson, Communications Director at Orange. “This is an exceptional shortlist reflecting the diversity and incredible range of female fiction that is available to readers today. Our judges have done a terrific job and will have a tough time choosing just one winner next month from this stellar shortlist of six.”
The award ceremony will take place in The Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London, on 30 May 2012.
