Before Christmas I entered a competition run by The Omnivore online magazine to win an entire set of the Costa Book Prize 2013 shortlisted books – and heavens to Betsy, I got an email the other day saying I’d won. Today a big box of all the books arrived. THANK YOU!
As the individual category winners were announced last week, I’ve laid out the books with the categories going horizontally, and the winners on the left. Ginny helped – she was drawn to Evie Wyld’s book – it’s the ‘birds’ in the title, I think.
I already own (but have not read yet) copies of four of these, (Atkinson, Wyld, O’Farrell, and Olivia Laing in the top non-fiction line), Atkinson will be our book group read in March, so I have a spare copy to lend out.
I had considered buying myself a copy of Goth Girl by Chris Riddell as I’m a huge fan – you’re never too old for children’s books. I’ve been recommended the book by Nathan Filer which won the debut novel category too. I also hope that owning Clive James’ new translation of Dante may introduce me to that cornerstone of poetry.
As yet, I have no view as to which book I’d like to win the overall prize which will be announced on Jan 28th. Given that I am only reading from my TBR for the TBR Triple Dog Dare I should only read the Atkinson, but I may have an extended look at the others – just a look!
Who do you think will win the Costa Book Prize 2013?
That’s amazing! What a terrific prize. So many intriguing titles. What will you read first?
I missed your last paragraph the first time through. Now it seems like a temptation to great to bear! Good luck sticking to your Triple Dog Dare in such conditions!
What lovely prizes! Well done Annabel – I hope you enjoy them all!! And since you didn’t actually buy them, they just kind of materialised on your TBR, I think you should read them if you want to!
Oh my word! Well done , a great win 🙂
http://booketta.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/feeding-my-e-reader-8-what-postman.html
Well I have read none of the above so can’t venture an opinion. But congratulations on your win.
Wow! I’d say that good manners dictates reading a certain amount ….. !
I think cat divination is the way to go when choosing here. Tho’ you may well spend the rest of the year on bird and mice titled items! What a lovely prize.
You (and your cat) are so lucky. Way to go. I loved Marriage Material and saw it peeking out from behind the cat. But there are so many good books, how are you going to choose where to start?
Congratulations – what a great selection. So far my favourite from the shortlist by a good long way (though I’m only half way through) is Evie Wyld’s book – it is a really clever narrative, beautifully put together and executed, and her writing is on a Hemmingway level of excellence.
Also, the physical object itself feels like it is worth hunners of pounds – must be the paper stock, but it really feels like a book should.
Dunno, but let’s hope it ‘stays afloat’, unlike other things
Costa
Too cryptic for me Daddio!
I think Norm’s alluding to the Costa Concordia cruise ship
Well I’ve tried to read one of these but failed – Life after Life – so I don’t have much basis for picking a winner. If it’s if Atkinson though I think I’ll cry