Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award

Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award
Presented by Munster Literature Centre
Location Cork, Ireland
First awarded 2005
Official website http://www.munsterlit.ie/FOC%20Award%20page.html

The Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award is a literary award for short story collections. At 35,000 euro for the best book of short stories it claims to be the world's largest prize for a short story collection.[1] Each year, roughly sixty books are longlisted, with either four or six books going ahead to be shortlisted, the ultimate decision made by three judges. In 2008 there was no shortlist, as the judges considered winning book, Unaccustomed Earth by Jumpa Lahiri as being far superior to any other book on the longlist. [2]

History

In 2000, the Cork, Ireland Munster Literature Centre organised the first Frank O'Connor International Short Story Festival,[3] an event dedicated to the celebration of the short story and named for one of Cork's authors, Frank O'Connor. The festival showcases readings, literary forums and workshops. Following continued growth and additional funding, the Cork City - Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award was introduced in 2005,[3] coinciding with Cork's designation as that year's European Capital of Culture.

Recipients

Year Winner Collection Shortlisted nominees & collections Ref(s)
2005 Yiyun Li A Thousand Years of Good Prayers [4]
2006 Haruki Murakami Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman [5]
2007 Miranda July No One Belongs Here More than You [6]
2008 Jhumpa Lahiri Unaccustomed Earth
  • No shortlist issued.
 [7]
2009 Simon Van Booy Love Begins in Winter [8]
2010 Ron Rash Burning Bright
  • T.C. Boyle – Wild Child
  • David Constantine – The Shieling
  • Robin Black – If I Love You I Would Tell You This
  • Belle Boggs – Mattaponi Queen
  • Laura van den Berg – What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us
 [9]
2011 Edna O'Brien Saints and Sinners [10]

References

  1. ^ Flood, Alison (September 21, 2009). "Simon Van Booy wins world's richest short story prize". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/sep/21/simon-van-booy-frank-oconnor-award. Retrieved 2010-05-06. 
  2. ^ Irvine, Lindesay (July 5, 2008). "Jhumpa Lahiri jumps the shortlist to world's richest short story prize". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/jul/05/frankoconnoraward. Retrieved 2011-09-14. 
  3. ^ a b "Writer scoops Cork award". Irish Examiner. September 21, 2009. http://irishexaminer.com/ireland/writer-scoops-cork-award-101426.html. Retrieved 2010-05-06. 
  4. ^ Crown, Sarah (Sept 26, 2005). "Inaugural short story award goes to debut author". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2005/sep/26/news.awardsandprizes. Retrieved 2011-09-14. 
  5. ^ Pauli, Michelle (July 18, 2006). "Murakami and Tremain on Frank O'Connor shortlist". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2006/jul/18/news.awardsandprizes. Retrieved 2011-09-14. 
  6. ^ Crown, Sarah (July 23, 2007). "Big names miss out on Frank O'Connor shortlist". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/jul/23/news.awardsandprizes. Retrieved 2011-09-14. 
  7. ^ Irvine, Lindesay (July 5, 2008). "Jhumpa Lahiri jumps the shortlist to world's richest short story prize". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/jul/05/frankoconnoraward. Retrieved 2011-09-14. 
  8. ^ Lea, Richard (June 29, 2009). "Debut authors dominate shortlist for Frank O'Connor award". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jun/29/shortlist-frank-oconnor-award. Retrieved 2011-09-14. 
  9. ^ Flood, Alison (July 09, 2010). "US writers dominate Frank O'Connor award shortlist". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jul/09/us-writers-award-shortlist. Retrieved 2011-09-14. 
  10. ^ "Edna O'Brien wins Frank O'Connor Award". The Irish Examiner. September 18, 2011. http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/edna-obrien-wins-frank-oconnor-award-521077.html. Retrieved 2011-09-19. 

External links