On 7th March the longlist for the 2014 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction will be announced. Previously known as the Orange Prize, it is awarded to the best full length novel, written by a women, that has been published in the UK between 1st April 2013 and 31st March 2014.
It has been an amazing year for female writers and I found it very easy to think of books that deserve a place on the list. Narrowing it down to a shortlist will be very tricky, but here are the books that I predict will make the longlist:
The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
My Notorious Life by Kate Manning
Kiss Me First by Lottie Moggach
The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Blazing World by Siri Hustvedt
The Golem and the Djinni by Helene Wecker
All the Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld
Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi
The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlane
The Engagement by Chloe Hooper
The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud
The Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris
The View on the Way Down by Rebecca Wait
What do you think of my selection?
Who do you think will make the Baileys Women’s Prize for fiction longlist?
39 replies on “Who will the longlisted for the 2014 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction?”
I haven’t really given it much thought this year (I seem to have been reading a lot of older books lately) but I reckon several on your list are almost guaranteed to make the real longlist (Americanah, The Luminaries, The Flamethrowers, The Goldfinch).
Two that you haven’t mentioned that I would love to see picked would be Alice McDermott’s ‘Someone’ and Lea Carpenter’s fantastic debut ‘Eleven Days’. Maybe Tessa Hadley’s ‘Clever Girl’ too?
David, I haven’t read the three you mention, but have heard a few good things about them. I wouldn’t be surprised to see any of them on the longlist and look forward to seeing which books the judges pick.
Very thorough! Lots of titles, it’ll be interesting to see what makes the list…
Thanks!
Great list. One other book that may just be in with a shout is The Round House by Louise Erdrich.
Neil, Good choice! I’d forgotten all about The Round House as it was published so long ago. It wasn’t to my taste, but wouldn’t be surprised to see it on the list at all!
It HAS been an amazing year for books by women! Looking at your list just reminded me of how many really good books by women there have been in the last year. I think you’ve made excellent choices — I’d accept this as a longlist! 🙂
Jenny, It’s good to know that you like my list. It’s amazing how many books I had to leave out. Women are going to dominate this year’s Booker prize!
Wow – what a lot of good books – regardless of which make the list or not.
Annabel, Yes, I hope I can persuade people to try a few, whether they make the list or not.
I just love your selections, and this post is a reminder of just how many books by female authors I REALLY WANT TO READ. Like all of them. Now. I have Americanah on my e-reader. I’m reading Boy, Snow, Bird now. And I can’t wait to get my hands on The Night Guest.
Andi, I keep finding ones I haven’t read too! I’ve tried to read as many as possible, but I’m going to try to squeeze in a few more before the longlist is announced. Enjoy your selection!
I have heard a lot of buzz about Mrs. Hemingway — I really hope it is better than The Paris Wife, which was a huge disappointment to me.
Sophronisba, I haven’t read The Paris Wife, but I hope you enjoy Mrs Hemingway 🙂
I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a great year this year, I think I’m going to try and read as many off the longlist as possible. I’m rooting for Americanah to do well, I love Adichie.
Sam, I love Adichie, but don’t think Americanah is her best. I think it stands a good chance of being longlisted, but would be surprised if it made it any further. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you though 🙂
Great selection, very varied and not just the obvious big names either! I’d almost forgotten it was the Baileys’ Prize now, so found myself asking ‘ Bailey who?’
Marina, My surname is Bailey so I can pretend it is my prize – it is the closest I’ll ever get to having my own literary prize!
Really love your list. I adored The Goldfinch and Americanah (and really enjoyed several others). I can’t wait for All the Birds, Singing and The Blazing World to be published here.
Shannon, I read The Blazing World last week and think it will be widely loved. It was a bit fragmented for me, but it raised many interesting questions about the way society looks at women. I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading it!
I’ve only read four on your list though a couple more authors are familiar to me. Like to see the outcome and do so like your list.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy reading some of them!
Excellent list! Good to see The Interestings which seemed to me not to get the attention it deserved. I’m half-way thtough Boy, Snow, Bird which I’m very much enjoying. Two I’d like to mention are Helen Dunmore’s The Lie and Jill Dawson’s The Tell-tale Heart, both throughly deserving of a place on the list, I feel.
Susan, I wouldn’t be surprised to see either of those books on the list. The Lie almost made its way onto my selection, but I felt it wasn’t her strongest piece of writing and so others just bumped her off the end. I know some people feel differently though so it is all down to the taste of those judges.
Jill Dawson is an author I haven’t read before, but I have been hearing good things about her latest book. I have a copy here and I’ll try to read it before the longlist is announced. I look forward to seeing what her writing is like.
Glad to hear you’re enjoying Boy Snow Bird. Hope the ending is just as good!
The Prize has really sneaked up on me this year! Your list looks fabulous–many seem like the obvious choices, but I’m always amazed how few of my no-brainers fail to make the longlist. It has been an excellent year for new fiction, and I haven’t read nearly enough. Perhaps I’ll give the longlist a try again this year. Looking forward to the announcement next week!
Carrie, It always sneaks up on me too! It just seems very early in the year for prize lists, but perhaps that is because most people have no interest in the longlist – waiting for the shortlist or winner before trying any. I look forward to your thoughts on the books in the list.
Wonderful list. I’d add NoViolet Bulawayo’s “We Need New Names.” And thanks to Susan Osborne; I’d not realized that Helen Dunmore has a new book out. Another one to look forward to reading!
Aparatchick, Yes – We Need New Names made it onto the Booker list so could easily make it onto this one. I wasn’t personally convinced it is strong enough to make it, but judging panels often think differently to me!
Enjoy the new Dunmore!
They definitely all sound like potentials! So many books I want to read and so few I have actually got to yet!
Kailana, I hope you enjoy any that you decide to try 🙂
Good list Jackie including some authors I’ve never heard of. I would expect Hannah Kent’s Burial rites to be there. I hope Evie Wyld is there, and I can’t imaging Eleanor Catton won’t be. I’m keen to read a few on your list including Messud, Lumpiri, Selasi.
Also, would Aminatta Forna’s The hired man be eligible? I haven’t read it but have seen excellent reviews?
Whispering Gums, You’re probably right about Burial Rites – I’m beginning to think it is a certainty for the longlist – although I’m still not sure which of my books I’d replace it with!
The Hired Man isn’t eligible as it was published in March last year. I was very surprised it wasn’t longlisted last year. A sad case of a fantastic book being overlooked 🙁
I hope they all make the list! Can’t wait to see it and I really hope Americanah is up there and agree it is very unfortunate that Aminatta Forna’s excellent The Hired Man seems to have been overlooked.
So many still to read! Well done on creating the list.
Claire, It is such a shame when amazing books some how slide under the radar. Let’s hope those judges select the best books this year 🙂
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Pretty good Jackie – you got 7 of 20. Impressive! + Burial Rites which got mentioned.
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