The James Tait Black Prize

The James Tait Black prize has been awarded to a book of fiction since 1919. Awards are also made for a biographical works and since 2013 there has also been an award for drama. The James Tait Black prizes are awarded by the University of Edinburgh's School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures. Staff and post grad students choose the winners of the prize, sometimes from 400 entries. The awards are made for books published the previous year.

In January 2019 I did a Future Learn course, How to read a novel, which was run by the University of Edinburgh. Among other titles, we looked at the four works of fiction shortlisted for the 2018 James Tait Black Award.

The winner of the award that year was a collection of short stories - Attrib. and other stories by Eley Williams.

The other titles on the short list were:

First Love by Gwendoline Riley

American War: a novel by Omar El Akkad

White Tears by Hari Kunzru

The winner of the award for a book published in 2019 was Crudo by Olivia Laing.

The other titles listed on the shortlist were:

Heads of Coloured People by Nafrissa Thompson-Spores

Murmur by Will Eaves

Sight by Jessie Greengrass

The winner of the Fiction Award announced in August 2020 was Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann.

Other items on the shortlist for the 2020 award:

Girl by Edna O'Brien

Travellers by Helon Habila

Sudden Traveler: stories by Sarah Hall

So far the awards have introduced me to books that I would not normally encounter and it has been interesting, and sometimes challenging, to read a collection of different fiction compared with my normal choices.

Some of the novels are definitely relevant for our life in 2020. When watching CNN on TV, fictional events portrayed in American War often come to mind. Issues discussed in White Tears in regard to music are also very relevant today especially with the Black Lives Matter movement.

I am gradually reading the books shortlisted for recent awards and will add reviews for them to this blog.

The winner of the Fiction Award announced in August 2021 was Lote by Shola von Reinhold.

Other items on the shortlist for the 2021 award:

Alligator & Other Stories by Dima Alzeyat

The First Woman by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

A Children's Bible by Lydia Millet

 

The winner of the Fiction Award announced in August 2022 was A Shock by Keith Ridgway.

Other items on the shortlist for the 2022 award:

English Magic by Uschi Gatward

Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge

Memorial by Bryan Washington

 

The winner of the Fiction Award announced in July 2023 was Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver.

Other items on the shortlist for the 2023 award: 

Bitter Orange Tree by Jokha Alharthi and translated by Marilyn Booth 

After Sappho by Selby Wynn SchwartzBolia by Pajtim Statovci 

Bolla by Pajtim Statovci, translated from Finnish by David Hackston

 

The winner of the Fiction Award, announced in May 2024, was Praiseworthy by Alexis Wright

Other items on the shortlist for the 2024 award: 

Lori & Joe by Amy Arnold

Open Throat by by Henry Hoke

Though the Bodies Fall by by Noel O’Regan