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Miles Franklin 2024 shortlist announced

Tuesday, 2 July 2024   Books+Publishing
@booksandpublishing

The shortlist for the 2024 Miles Franklin Literary Award has been announced.

The shortlisted titles, selected from a longlist announced in May, are:

  • Only Sound Remains (Hossein Asgari, Puncher & Wattmann)
  • Wall (Jen Craig, Puncher & Wattmann)
  • Anam (André Dao, Hamish Hamilton)
  • The Bell of the World (Gregory Day, Transit Lounge)
  • Hospital (Sanya Rushdi, Giramondo)
  • Praiseworthy (Alexis Wright, Giramondo).

The judges—State Library of NSW Mitchell librarian Richard Neville (chair); literary scholar Jumana Bayeh; literary scholar and translator Mridula Nath Chakraborty; book critic James Ley; and author and literary scholar Hsu-Ming Teo—said it had been ‘an extraordinary year’ for the award, adding that they had been ‘awed by the ambitious sweep and range of the novels’.

‘The writers have distinguished themselves with their experimentation with techniques, forms, and narrative styles,’ said the judges. ‘The six books on the shortlist hold a mirror to the expressions and excitements of contemporary Australian writing. They chronicle significant happenings, connect intimately with the multifarious denizens across Australia, and make us part of a global tapestry of interconnected imaginations.

‘They reveal hidden genealogies of arrival and take us on journeys of discoveries to places left behind, both physical and philosophical, explore the innermost workings of our psyche, and interrogate accepted mores of society. There is an emphasis on listening, and the way we, the reading public, are called upon to ethically engage with the sounds and syllables of our times. Each of these novels crafts its own distinct world and demands our utmost attention.’

Each shortlisted winner receives $5000. The winner of this year’s award will be announced on 1 August and will receive $60,000.

The winner of the 2023 Miles Franklin Literary Award was Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran (Ultimo).

Picture credit: courtesy Perpetual/Miles Franklin Literary Award.

 

Category: Awards Local news