Prominent authors Zadie Smith, Naomi Klein, and Paul Murray have been shortlisted for the rebranded Rathbones Folio Prize, now known as the Writers’ Prize. This year marks a significant change in the prize’s history, as Penguin Random House (PRH) UK dominates the shortlist, claiming six out of the nine nominations.

Read: The Fraud by Zadie Smith: are we all just imposters? – review

The Writers’ Prize, unique for being the only international, English-language award both nominated and judged exclusively by writers, showcases three categories: fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, each featuring three distinguished titles. PRH UK’s imprints, Chatto & Windus and Hamish Hamilton, are prominently represented, with Smith nominated for “The Fraud” and Murray for “The Bee Sting,” both under Hamish Hamilton. Laura Cumming, with “Thunderclap: A Memoir of Life and Art and Sudden Death,” and Liz Berry’s “The Home Child” are also contenders, representing Chatto & Windus.

Adding to the illustrious shortlist, Naomi Klein’s “Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World” (Penguin Press) and Mary Jean Chan’s “Bright Fear” (Faber) are among the nominees in the non-fiction and poetry categories, respectively.

Here is the full Writers’ Prize shortlist:

Fiction

• “The Wren, The Wren” by Anne Enright (Jonathan Cape)
• “The Bee Sting” by Paul Murray (Hamish Hamilton)
• “The Fraud” by Zadie Smith (Hamish Hamilton)

Non-fiction

• “Thunderclap: A Memoir of Life and Art and Sudden Death“ by Laura Cumming (Chatto & Windus)
• “Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World”  by Naomi Klein (Penguin Press)
• “A Thread of Violence: A Story of Truth, Invention and Murder” by Mark O’Connell (Granta)

Poetry

• “Self-Portrait as Othello” by Jason Allen-Paisant (Carcanet Press)
• “The Home Child” by Liz Berry (Chatto & Windus)
• “Bright Fear” by Mary Jean Chan (Faber)

Anticipation builds for the upcoming London Book Fair announcement

This year, the Folio Academy, comprising over 350 writers, assumes the role of judging the awards. They will access the titles through NetGalley, aiming to determine the category winners and the overall Writers’ Prize Book of the Year. The eagerly awaited results will be announced at the London Book Fair on March 13, 2024.

Minna Fry, the director of the Writers’ Prize, expressed her excitement about this year’s shortlists, highlighting their representation of the best literature of 2023. She acknowledged the Academy’s critical role in recognising these outstanding works and expressed anticipation for the announcement of the winners. “We are grateful to the [Folio] Academy, which has taken seriously its responsibility for highlighting and singling out these wonderful books, and we hugely look forward to seeing the eventual winners emerge,” Fry told The Bookseller, underscoring the importance of continued funding for the future of the award.

The relaunch of the award as The Writers’ Prize follows a seven-year partnership with Rathbones Investment Management. Despite the change, the prize continues to offer a substantial reward, totaling £36,000, funded by private donations from individuals, businesses, and trusts associated with the book industry and the Folio Academy.

Read: Rathbones Folio Prize 2023: Margo Jefferson big winner of the night

Last year’s accolades went to Margo Jefferson for “Constructing a Nervous System” (Granta), Victoria Adukwei Bulley for her poetry collection “Quiet” (Faber), and Michelle de Kretser for “Scary Monsters” (Atlantic) in their respective categories.

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