Inaugural Carol Shields Prize for Fiction Longlist Announced | Book Pulse

The Carol Shields Prize for Fiction longlist, the Baillie Gifford Prize Winner of Winners Prize shortlist, and the Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award finalists are each announced. Illinois proposes anti–book ban legislation. Interviews feature conversations with Dina Nayeri, Michelle Dowd, Annalee Newitz, Roxanna Asgarian, Madelaine Lucas, Julia Bartz, and Thomas Mallon. Adaptations based on The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave and Denise Mina’s “Morrow” series are in the works.

Want to get the latest book news delivered to your inbox each day? Sign up for our daily Book Pulse newsletter.

Awards & News

The inaugural Carol Shields Prize for Fiction longlist is announced. The winning author receives $150,000.

The Baillie Gifford Prize celebrates 25 years with a Winner of Winners Prize shortlist announcement. Fox News covers the story, along with The Bookseller.

The 2023 Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award finalists are announced.

Book Riot reports “Illinois Proposes First Anti-Book Ban Legislation.”

Page to Screen

March 10:

The Magic Flute, based on the opera by Mozart. Shout! Studios. Reviews | Trailer

I Got a Monster, based on the book by Brandon Solderberg and Baynard Woods. VOD. No reviews | Trailer

March 12:

A Spy Among Friends, based on the book by Ben Macintyre. MGM+. Reviews | Trailer

March 14:

Superman & Lois, based on associated titles. CW. Reviews | Trailer

March 16:

Shadow and Bone, based on the “Grishaverse” book series by Leigh Bardugo. Netflix. Reviews | Trailer

Reviews

The Washington Post reviews We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America by Roxanna Asgarian (Farrar): "a provocative mix of immersive narrative journalism, rigorous social policy analysis and proud advocacy. It pulls back the focus from the horrific crash to investigate, thoroughly and intimately, why these six children were sent out of Texas in the first place — away not just from their parents but from responsible family members who could have kept the children close."

NPR reviews The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland (Flatiron): “an exploration of the human condition that transcends genre. It is a deep, multilayered, complex, sprawling narrative about love, loss, old Slavic gods, history, otherness, and sorrow.”

The Los Angeles Times reviews Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova (Zando): “At once heartbreaking and unapologetically strange, this is a cross-cultural, syncretic, folksy, razor-sharp narrative about the horrors of grief and the eternal debate over nature versus nurture.”

Tor.com reviews The Curator by Owen King (Scribner): “a satisfying novel on multiple levels, and it’s one I hope to revisit soon. And if King decides to revisit this world as well, I’ll be curious to see what deft narrative tricks he’ll bring with him next time.”

Datebook reviews Dust Child by Nguyen Phan Que Mai (Algonquin; LJ starred review): “isn’t the most complicated book out there. Astute readers will figure out the novel’s linchpins well before the commonalities between the three stories are officially revealed.”

Autostraddle reviews The Mimicking of Known Successes by Maika Older (Tor.com: Macmillan): “A novella that more than lives up to the idea of cozy, it takes the literary connotations of that word further by creating a delightful mashup of science fiction and cozy mystery, with a delicious side of sapphic romance.”

Lit Hub shares "The Best Reviewed Book of the Week."

Briefly Noted

De’Shawn Charles Winslow, Decent People (Bloomsbury), discusses “distance, unknowing, and returning to a complicated home” in a conversation with The Rumpus.

Shondaland speaks with Dina Nayeri, author of Who Gets Believed?: When the Truth Isn’t Enough (Catapult), about “the question of believability across cultures, experiences, and borders.” Also, Michelle Dowd outlines “how she escaped a violent and patriarchal cult at just 17 years old” as detailed in her memoir, Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult (Algonquin). 

Annalee Newitz explains about how they “turned to real-life scientists to build a (better) future” in their new book, The Terraformers (Tor; LJ starred review) in an interview with The Los Angeles Times. Also, Roxanna Asgarian expounds on her five-year journey with her new book, We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America (Farrar). Plus, an announcement on new book Letters to Trump featuring celebrity correspondence; Vanity Fair also covers the story alonside USA Today and The Washington Post

Madelaine Lucas chats about her book, Thirst for Salt (Tin House), describing a “May-December romance” with Electric Lit.

NYT’s Inside the Best-Seller List profiles Julia Bartz, author of The Writing Retreat (Atria: Emily Bestler), who explains how she was inspired to use her voice after reading her grandmother’s memoir about surviving the Holocaust.

Roy Thomas, editor-in-chief at Marvel Comics, delves into the history of Doctor Strange for CrimeReads. Also, a case study on "The Rise of Domestic Noir: A Decade After Gone Girl."

The Los Angeles Times highlights the work of Shane Salerno, “Hollywood’s go-to book agent.”

BBC Culture celebrates International Women’s Day by revisiting the 1952 book by Alba de Céspedes, Forbidden Notebook (Astra).

Ebony explores “Janelle Monáe’s creative exploits,” including her 2022 book, The Memory Librarian (Harper Voyager).

People provides an excerpt from Benjamin Hall’s memoir, Saved: A War Reporter’s Mission To Make It Home (Harper) remembering Pierre Zakrewski, the cameraman who was killed in a missile-attack in Ukraine next to him.

Tor.com shares an excerpt from Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini (Tor). 

NPR spotlights the unique history of the Oscars along with the books about it.

The Millions explores “the novels behind this year’s best adapted screenplay Oscar noms.”

The Root’s It’s Lit provides “15 Books by Black Authors Inspired Oscar-worthy Films.”

Lit Hub issues two more “Oscars Countdowns: What to Read (and Watch)” for Everything Everywhere All at Once and Top Gun: Maverick.

Popsugar gives “A Complete Guide to All the Bridgerton Books in Order.”

HipLatina showcases “10 Inspiring Latina Writers Who Paved the Way in Publishing.”

Book Riot has lists for March including: “8 Award-Winning Nonfiction Books,” “9 of the Best New Science Fiction and Fantasy Books,” “10 Engrossing Books About Black Holes,” and “9 Excellent New Manga Releases.”

Tor.com shares “All the New Horror and Genre-Bending Books Arriving in March.”

Shondaland features “7 Books to Celebrate Women’s History Month.”

NYT recommends 9 new books and 6 new paperbacks.

Book Riot explores “How Might AI Like ChatGPT Impact the Future of Writing and Books.” 

Authors on Air

Thomas Mallon, Up With the Sun (Knopf; LJ starred review), talks to Terry Gross of NPR’s Fresh Air about “the early years of the AIDS epidemic.”

Good Morning America shares the official trailer of The Last Thing He Told Me, an adaptation of the book by Laura Dave, starring Jennifer Garner.

Denise Mina’s “Morrow” book series is being adapted for a TV series by Shetland writer, according to The Bookseller.

Want to get the latest book news delivered to your inbox each day? Sign up for our daily Book Pulse newsletter.
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.


RELATED 

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?