One laudable feature of this year's longlist is the inclusion of small press offerings, which is a breath of fresh air for a prize that usually awards big publishers. I suspect the jury panel may not know the UK release dates for these books, let alone release dates in other regions. I might distinguish between prize organizers, who set eligibility criteria, and the jury panel.

Especially since the latest US releases are some of the more diverse titles on the list. That's quite persuasive when laid out like that, Carol. I may even break down and order I'm a Fan from a UK - if I'm a Fan wins, we'll need to push our group read to October or November (insert eyeroll emoji here) I loved Bandit Queens, btw, and am now happily anticipating Fire Rush and I'm a Fan. Homesick: A Memoir by Jennifer Croft (Sept 10, 2019) (winner of the 2020 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing released in the UK Aug 23, 2022) Glory by NoViolet Bulawayo (March 8, 2022) The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell (Sept 6, 2022)Ĭhildren of Paradise by Camilla Grudova (July 7, 2022)īlack Butterflies by Priscilla Morris (May 5, 2022)

Trespasses by Louise Kennedy (Nov 1, 2022)ĭemon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (Oct 18, 2022) The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff (Jan 3, 2023) Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes (Feb 7, 2023)

Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin (March 21, 2023) The Womens Prize panel is free to be as UK-centric as it likes, of course, in service to its goals, but that 2019 US release of Homesick also stands out, and one wonders how these choices impact the market bump nominees might otherwise get if all titles were available on both sides of the pond as of the longlist release date.įire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks (April 18, 2023)Ĭursed Bread by Sophie Mackintosh (April 4, 2023) US complete-ists can either pay full price and get them shipped from Waterstones or just wait until September if they still care and want to read library copies, one supposes. I respect that it's a UK prize, but for prize-oriented reader groups which comprise readers from all over the globe, including this major booksellers market, where reading all or most of the entries and debating which will make the shortlist and which deserves to win and the like, it's certainly not very much fun to be American this year. I am more than a bit annoyed that this longlist includes 5 titles that weren't released in the US by March 7 when the longlist was announced, and one - I'm a Fan - that won't be released here until September 5 - long after the winner is announced. Spoiler alert: rant ahead if you want to skip it.

The bees by laline paull