Orange Prize Longlist includes Attica Locke & other Authors of Color

[Wilhelmina]

The Orange Prize for Fiction, one of Great Britain's most prestigious literary awards, has announced its longlist for 2010. This prize is awarded to a female author of any nationality for the best original full-length novel written in English. The longlist includes:

Attica Locke for Black Water Rising,
Andrea Levy for The Long Song,
Laila Lalami for Secret Son, and
Nadifa Mohamed for Black Mamba Boy.

Levy is a previous Orange Prize winner for her wonderful book, Small Island, and is a British author of Jamaican descent. Lalami is a Moroccan American and Mohamed is a Somali writer living in London. We already know African American Locke from our November, 2009 book discussion.

These were the people of color I recognized from the longlist. If I missed anyone, please let us know. Here's the link to the list:

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-ent...

A shortlist will be announced on April 20, and the winner will be announced in London on June 9.

[Izetta Autumn]

I think these are two other writers of color on the Orange Prize list:
Roopa Farooki - The Way Things Look to Me
Monique Roffey - The White Woman on a Green Bicycle

[Wilhelmina]

Thanks, Izetta! Roopa Farooki is Pakistani and lives in England. Monique Roffey is Trinidadian, living in London.

Here's the Orange Prize website, with info about all of the longlisted authors:

http://www.orangeprize.co.uk/home

[Hazel]

Thanks for this. I knew Roffey had lived in Trinidad, but didn't realise she was a national. I think Andrea Levy is an excellent writer. For those who like tv adaptations, the BBC did a nice version of Small Island last year.

[Rona]

This is great! thanks Mina for posting!

[Izetta Autumn]

I'm excited by all these writers!

[ColumbusReads]

I absolutely loved Levy's, Small Island. Couldn't find anything on the BBC website about upcoming programming but the movie will be shown on PBS - April 18 thru 25th. Check your local broadcast. Hazel, thanks for sharing!

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/s...

[Phyllis | Mocha Drop]

Columbus wrote: "I absolutely loved Levy's, Small Island. Couldn't find anything on the BBC website about upcoming programming but the movie will be shown on PBS - April 18 thru 25th. Check your local broadcast. Ha..."

Thanks for the 411 on this...I, too, love all of Levy's work -- she's an amazing writer. I'll def check out the PBS version next month -- thanks for sharing.

[Hazel]

I hope you both enjoy it. I'm biased, of course, but I thought it was a good adaptation. The actors are all talented Brits and I'm a particular fan of Naomie Harris. She's done small roles in Hollywood films too.

Let me know what you think!

[Wilhelmina]

I'm so glad to hear about the broadcast of "Small Island"! I absolutely loved the book and strongly recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it yet.

[ColumbusReads]

Levy's, Small Island will be shown Sunday on PBS here in Atlanta. Looking forward to it. Just read an excellent review of it in Friday's WSJ.

[Hazel]

Oh great! Hope you like it.

[Wilhelmina]

Thanks so much, Columbus! This is one that I definitely won't miss! I'm going to post it separately so people won't miss it!

[Hazel]

It's tonight, isn't it? I envy you guys. There's nothing to watch here!

[ColumbusReads]

Attica Locke's, Black Water Rising has made the Orange Prize shortlist. How impressive!

Here's the full list:
http://newsroom.orange.co.uk/2010/04/...

[Wilhelmina]

She's in very good company on the short list! Thanks, Columbus!