in UK Orange Prize for Fiction announces 2009 longlist and its first shortlist
The Orange Prize for Fiction, the UK’s only annual book award for fiction written by a woman, today announces
the 2009 longlist composed by 20 books.
The Orange prize was set up in 1996 to celebrate and promote fiction by women throughout the world to the widest range of readers possible and is awarded for the best novel of the year written by a woman in the English language. Any woman writing in English, whatever her nationality, country of residence, age or subject matter, is eligible. The winner will receive a cheque for £30,000 and a limited edition bronze known as a 'Bessie'. Previous winners include Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Zadie Smith and Lionel Shriver.
As Fi Glover, British journalist and Chair of Judges, commented: "All the books on the longlist are there because each one, in its own way, is terrific in its ambition, quality and simple ability to entertain. We had a fabulous, if difficult, time narrowing the list down to 20 novels - and it's a wide open field.".
Orange Award for New Writers : shortlist 2009
The 7 April 2009 The Orange Award for New Writers, launched in 2005, announces this year’s shortlist and reveals the names of the judges:
the authors
Francesca Kay for An Equal Stillness
Nami Mun for Miles From Nowhere
Ann Weisgarber for The Personal History of Rachel DuPree
the judges
Mishal Husain (Chair), Presenter, BBC World News
Louise Jury, Chief Arts Correspondent, Evening Standard
Diana Evans, Author and winner of the inaugural Orange Award for New Writers
save the dates
21 April: Orange Prize for Fiction shortlist announcement
2 June: Orange Prize for Fiction shortlist readings
Orange and books
The Orange Prize for Fiction further strengthens Orange's commitment in the world of books.
Indeed, this year in France Orange has launched a literary award for internet users, the Orange Book Award or Prix Orange du Livre, presided over by the French writer Erik Orsenna. On a large scale for the first time, internet users are invited to take part in the jury and award a literary prize.
Created in 2006, the Prix Clara, organized by the French editor Editions Héloïse d’Ormesson, rewards the winners of a major competition for new writers open to adolescents under 17. Orange has been supporting the Prix Clara since 2007 by communicating on it and creating specific animations on zapzone.fr (dedicated Orange internet and mobile portal for adolescents).
Lastly, the Orange Foundation, which has been working for over 20 years on health, disability, education and culture, has carried out various actions in order to make reading more accessible, for instance for the visually impaired in France.
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© France Telecom - Orange 2012
