Chadwick, McMillan win 2019 Polari Prizes

In the UK, writers Angela Chadwick and Andrew McMillan have won the 2019 Polari Prizes for work that explores the LGBT experience, reports the Bookseller.

Now in its ninth year, the £1000 (A$1900) Polari First Book Prize was awarded to Chadwick for her dystopian novel XX (Dialogue Books), which imagines a world where women can have children without men. The judges described it as ‘an exquisitely plotted page-turner’ and ‘an essential read for our times’.

McMillan won the inaugural Polari Prize for Book of the Year, worth £2000 (A$3750), for his second poetry collection playtime (Jonathan Cape). Judge Bernardine Evaristo said McMillan ‘is exploring coming of age, masculinity and sexuality in ways that move and surprise. His poetic voice is completely natural and free, with no pretence or attempts to obfuscate meaning, yet the work has emotional complexity, power and depth.’

The winners were chosen from shortlists announced in July.

Category: Awards International news