Shortlist Announced for the Irish Book Awards ’20!
The Shortlist for the Irish Book Awards was announced this afternoon and there are some great books and authors on this year’s list, which was announced virtually on Twitter.
The over-riding motivation behind the awards is to celebrate the extraordinary quality of Irish writing, to help bring the best books to a wider readership annually, and to promote an industry under severe competitive pressures.
From a small base of three initial categories, the awards now include fifteen categories spanning the literary genres. Thousands of ordinary readers vote to select the winners every year. Libraries and bookshops showcase the best books of the year in the critical sales period of the fourth quarter. The Awards Dinner has become the major event in the literary calendar with Taoisigh and Presidents as guests of honour. This obviously won’t be happening this year, but as with previous years, highlights of the awards have been shown on RTÉ television.
The An Post Irish Book Awards brings together the entire literary community – readers, authors, booksellers, publishers and librarians – to recognise and celebrate the very best of Irish literary talent across fifteen categories, including Novel of the Year, Popular Fiction, Non-fiction, Crime, Children’s, Sports, Short Stories and Cookery.
Here are a few of the categories that I am particularly interested in:
EASONS BOOK CLUB NOVEL OF THE YEAR
Who I Would Like To Win: This is a tough one as the quality of this category is extremely high this year and the inclusion of the Women’s Prize Winner Hamnet makes it seem like the obvious choice. My heart says As You Were by Elaine Feeney though. It’s a funny, heart-breaking and timely book and deserves some awards attention.
Who Will Win: I would put my money on either Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell but she could have some competition with Strange Flowers by Donal Ryan.
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Who I Would Like To Win: The calibre of this line-up shows just how much great talent is coming through in Irish Writing. I would love to see sixteen-year old Dara McNulty win for his heart-warming book Diary of a Young Naturalist, although I also love Patrick Freyne’s journalism and am very much looking forward to reading his collection of essays Ok, Let’s Do Your Stupid Idea.
Who Will Win: I think this one is a toss-up between Dara McNulty and critics’ favourite, Naoise Dolan
THE IRISH INDEPENDENT CRIME FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR
Who I Would Like To Win: That is some shelf of books and I’m delighted to see both Liz Nugent and Catherine Ryan Howard on the shortlist, as I reviewed both these books just last month. I thought The Nothing Man was very clever, but I’m also a big fan of Jane Casey so am a bit torn on this one.
Who Will Win: I would say that Steve Cavanagh and Jane Casey are the ones to beat here.
POPULAR FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR
Who I Would Like to Win: This is a bit of a random choice as I haven’t read any of these, but I’ve been meaning to read Sarah Crossan’s new book Here is the Beehive for a while now and have been hearing great things about it.
Who Will Win: The double might of Marian Keyes or Graham Norton is going to be hard to beat in this category!
WRITING.IE SHORT STORY OF THE YEAR
Who I Would Like to Win: I’m delighted to see two of my favourite Irish writers – Caoilinn Hughes and Louise Kennedy – in this category. I’d love to see Louise win as I’ve read a few of her stories and they are really masterful and her new collection due out in April 2021 is one of my most anticipated reads of next year.
Who Will Win: This is a very open race I think, but there is a lot of love out there for Dermot Bolger.
NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR
Who I Would Like to Win: Without a doubt I would love to see Doireann Ni Ghriofa win this prize. I have just started A Ghost in the Throat and it is a stunning achievement and quite unlike anything I’ve ever read before. It might be a little hard to categorise to be a winner here though.
Who Will Win: I don’t know enough about these books to call this one, or even hazard a guess, but Mark O’Connell’s Notes on an Apocalypse couldn’t be more timely if it tried and might well take the prize.
What’s most fantastic about the Irish Book Awards is that from here on in, the voting is down to the reading public. Voting is now open online, with the ceremony taking place on 25 November in a virtual awards ceremony. On December 10th, a brand new TV programme – An Post Irish Book of the Year will be shown on RTE One and will feature interviews with some of the winning authors and the announcement of the overall An Post Book of the Year.
Have you read any of the shortlisted books? Who would you cast your vote for?
Cathy746books View All →
I am a 40 something book buying addict trying to reduce the backlog one book at a time!
746books.com 
This is great! I just bought Hamnet yesterday and can’t wait to read it. The Pull of the Stars is arguably my favourite book of the year, so I am excited to see that it was shortlisted!
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That’s good to know! I have a copy but haven’t got round to reading it yet.
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Lots to peruse here! I’ve read very few but the one that stands out for me is Strange Flowers which Ioved. Also keen to read Here is the Beehive and anything by Billy O’Callaghan after reading My Coney Island Baby earlier this year.
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I think Strange Flowers could win it Susan. I really need to read it don’t I?!
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You absolutely do! Fingers firmly crossed.
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I have read the Anne Enright and plan to read the Donal Ryan and Maggie O’Farrell and am very curious about the Caoilinn Hughes. A very good reading year.
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It’s a very strong shortlist alright. I loved The Wild Laughter and am very keen to read Strange Flowers.
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The only books I’ve read are The Guest List which I loved and Fifty-Fifty which was very good! I want to read Dara McNulty’s book and The Bird in the Bamboo Cage. I’m off to vote now! 😀
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I really want to read Fifty-Fifty. I’ve heard such great things about his books!
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It was good but I think Thirteen is a teensy bit better! ;/
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Good to know!!
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I’d love Jane Casey to win the independent crime fiction book of the year, I’m a big fan of her books. I’m currently reading The Guest List at the moment which I’m really enjoying.
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I’ve read the first three Maeve Kerrigan books and really like them. It’s a cracking shortlist.
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You definitely need to catch up on the rest of the Maeve Kerrigan books, it’s one of my favourite crime series, I also need to read Liz Nugent as well!
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Oh I know! Theya re both great writers.
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its always so exciting when book award shortlists are released!! im really rooting for Caoilinn Hughes’ The Wild Laughter it was such a brilliant novel 👌
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Wasn’t it great? I’d be delighted if she won.
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I’m amazed there have been so many books published in Ireland in a pandemic year, or any year for that matter, considering the population size. However, I just may not be able to see most of them in the bookshops here in Canada, except maybe a few more well known names. I’ll have to seek them out online. And, thanks for including the exciting and informative video. 🙂
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My pleasure!
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Ooh, there are some amazing books in the mix! 📚 The Pull of the Stars, Hamnet, Strange Flowers, and Actress all in one category! Testament to what a good year it’s been for Irish lit 📚
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Right? That category alone is fantastic!
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I love keeping up with book awards! So frustrating that the ones I want aren’t out here (USA) yet. Diary of a Young Naturalist is one I can get.
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I’ve heard great things about it and his backstory is excellent.
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I’ve got the ones I’m interested on my Goodreads TBR so I can remember to check for the US release.
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I’ve yet to read Strange Flowers and while I think he is a very strong author, he’d have to go somewhat to beat Hamnet.
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I think Hamnet is a bit of a shoe-in this year, although I had my issues with it.
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What didn’t you like?
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I thought the whole link to Shakespeare was unnecessary and I really didn’t buy the ending but I know I am really in the minority.
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The things I wouldn’t know were it not for you! Are you tired yet of my “thanks?” Don
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Never Don!
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Hi Cathy,
The joy you note sends out shoots.
It makes me appreciate that my sister has moved from a substandard retirement home to one that is bright, cheery with good food and an attentive staff. I recall that in a small way, I supported the effort to save The Morkin House from “The Dead.” It made me smile to add to a fitting birthday testamonial that will end with a single copy collection of parody sonnets displayed at Sweny’s Pharmacy.
Next week will be even better (if but slightly).
Don
p.s. Sorry, I lost the thread. Feel free to rehome this to a more appropriate domicile.
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I’ve only read a couple of the crime ones, and would go for Jane Casey in that category.
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Jane Casey never disappoints!
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Yes, Hazel Gaynor has some tough competition there… but the book is wonderful, so I’ll be crossing my fingers for her! As for Hamnet… I certainly think it deserves every award out there… my #1 favorite book of 2020!
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There are a lot of great books on these shortliosts this year!
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The Elaine Feeney book is waiting for me at the library. I’ve read a few others here and there on the shortlists. I can never resist a prize list, so I’ve gone onto the website and voted in the categories where I’ve read one or more of the books 🙂
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I liked the Eĺaine Feeney a lot. There are a lot of strong books this year.
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I had no idea that some of these authors were Irish. I have Hamnet to listen to on audio and hope to listen to it in the next couple of days. Thanks for sharing this list with us Cathy.
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No problem Carla!
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The Irish literary scene continues to flourish! Have you read Exciting Times, Cathy? Any thoughts?
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I haven’t yet Jacqui – I know people who’ve loved it and people who’ve hated it so it intrigues me.
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Oh dear, I’ve only read the Marian Keyes out of that lot – and didn’t really like it! But what a fantastic range and depth these lists have – wonderful to see.
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