Folio Prize Shortlist Announced

This morning at the British Library, the judges of the 2014 Folio Prize, headed by Chair Lavinia Greenlaw, announced the eight titles on the much-anticipated inaugural shortlist. As supporters of The Folio Prize, we wanted to ensure that our members would be among the first to discover this stellar list of new writing. The Folio Prize aims to recognise and celebrate the best English-language fiction published in the UK in a given year, regardless of form, genre or the author’s country of origin. The winner of the very first Folio Prize – worth £40,000 – will be announced at a ceremony taking place on Monday 10 March at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, London. To view a video on the shortlist click here. The eight books in contention are: Red Doc by Anne Carson (Random House / Jonathan Cape) Schroder by Amity Gaige (Faber & Faber) Last Friends by Jane Gardam (Little, Brown) Benediction by Kent Harouf (Picador) The Flame Throwers by Rachel Kushner (Random House/ Harvill Secker) A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing by Eimear McBride (Galley Beggar Press) A Naked Singularity by Sergio De La Pava (Maclehose Editions) Tenth of December by George Saunders (Bloomsbury) At The Folio Society we are passionate champions of great literature, and it is our hope that we could continue this tradition of excellence and uncover the best fiction of our time, books that will be read and admired for decades to come. This outstanding shortlist, which consists of five US or US-based novelists, one British, one Canadian and one Irish, confirms our expectations. The Folio Prize Fiction Festival We are also delighted to announce that, in the two days preceding the Prize ceremony, the Folio Prize Fiction Festival will take place at the British Library with an exciting series of literary events involving the judges, other members of the Folio Prize Academy and the shortlisted authors. For more information on all the events visit the British Library website here. You can receive a special Folio members' concession on ticket prices by selecting 'Friends of the BL' when asked for your ticket type. You will need to bring your Folio membership card as ID when you collect your tickets.