Polari Prize shortlists announced

In the UK, the shortlists for the Polari Prizes for LGBTQ+ literature have been announced, reports the Bookseller.

The titles shortlisted for the £2000 (A$3770) Polari Prize, which awards an overall book of the year excluding debuts, are:

• The Ministry of Guidance and other stories (Golnoosh Nour, Muswell Press)
• Dragman (Steven Appleby, Jonathan Cape)
• The Air Year (Caroline Bird, Carcanet)
• What Girls Do in the Dark (Rosie Garland, Nine Arches Press)
• The Intoxicating Mr Lavelle (Neil Blackmore, Windmill)
• No Modernism Without Lesbians (Diana Souhami, Head of Zeus)

The works shortlisted for the £1000 (A$1885) Polari First Book Prize are:

• Rainbow Milk (Paul Mendez, Dialogue Books)
• Forced Out (Kevin Maxwell, Granta)
• A Dutiful Boy (Mohsin Zaidi, Vintage)
• Swimming in the Dark (Tomasz Jędrowski, Bloomsbury)
• Shuggie Bain (Douglas Stuart, Picador)
• Charred (Andreena Leeanne, Team Angelica).

Chair of judges Paul Burston said this year’s shortlists are their ‘most diverse ever’ with ‘a wide variety of writers working across different genres to explore the intersections between sexuality, gender, race, class, religion and more’.

‘These 12 remarkable books include tales of resilience and celebration, love and pride, exploring the LGBTQ+ experience with emotional honesty, humour, passion and joy,’ Burston said.

The winners of the Polari Prizes will be announced in London on 30 October.

Category: International news