Hosted by Literature Wales
I would like to share with you a list of the recently announced Wales Book of the Year 2019 shortlist for English and Welsh-language books.
After spending several months wading through titles published in Wales during 2018, two independent judging panels finally selected nine works for each language in the categories of poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction.
Lleucu Siencyn, the chief executive of Literature Wales, was quoted in Cardiff University News as saying: “These exceptional titles encourage readers to explore and consider some of life’s biggest questions. Mental health and identity – both personal and national – flow through these selections. This is contemporary Welsh writing at its very finest.”
The winners will be announced at an Award Ceremony held at Aberystwyth Arts Centre on Thursday 20th June.
THE ROLAND MATHIAS POETRY AWARD
Insistence, Ailbhe Darcy (Bloodaxe Books Ltd.)
Salacia, Mari Ellis Dunning (Parthian Books)
Gen, Jonathan Edwards (Seren)
ABERYSTWYTH UNIVERSITY FICTION AWARD
Arrest Me, for I Have Run Away, Stevie Davies (Parthian Books)
West, Carys Davies (Granta Publications)
Sal, Mick Kitson (Canongate Books)
THE CREATIVE NON-FICTION AWARD
Moneyland, Oliver Bullough (Profile Books)
The light in the dark: A winter journal, Horatio Clare (Elliott & Thompson)
Having a go at the Kaiser: A Welsh family at war, Gethin Matthews (University of Wales Press)
The English-language judges for this prestigious award are poet Sandeep Parmar, Louise Holmwood Marshall of Aberystwyth University, and novelist and professor Russell Celyn Jones.
THE WELSH-LANGUAGE POETRY AWARD
GWOBR FARDDONIAETH
Twt Lol, Emyr Lewis (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)
Cyrraedd a cherddi eraill, Alan Llwyd (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas)
Stafell fy Haul, Manon Rhys (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas)
THE WELSH-LANGUAGE FICTION AWARD
GWOBR FFUGLEN PRIFYSGOL ABERYSTWYTH
Ynys Fadog, Jerry Hunter (Y Lolfa)
Llyfr Glas Nebo, Manon Steffan Ros (Y Lolfa)
Esgyrn, Heiddwen Thomas (Y Lolfa)
THE WELSH-LANGUAGE CREATIVE NON-FICTION AWARD
GWOBR FFEITHIOL- GREADIGOL
Cymru mewn 100 Gwrthrych, Andrew Green (Gwasg Gomer)
Y Gymru ‘Ddu’ a’r Ddalen ‘Wen’: Aralledd ac Amlddiwylliannedd mewn Ffuglen Gymreig, er 1990, Lisa Sheppard (Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru)
Rhyddhau’r Cranc, Malan Wilkinson (Y Lolfa)
The judges for this award in the Welsh-language are poet and former winner, Idris Reynolds, broadcaster and author Dylan Ebenezer and Cathryn Charnell-White of Aberystwyth University.
The awards ceremony for the competition includes a people’s choice winner in both languages.
