List of Orange Prize for Fiction winners
Orange Prize for Fiction |
Awarded for |
Best full-length novel written in English by a woman of any nationality |
Presented by |
Orange |
Location |
United Kingdom |
First awarded |
1996 |
Official website |
Website |
The Orange Prize for Fiction (known as the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction from 2007 to 2008) is one of the United Kingdom's most prestigious literary prizes,[1][2][3] annually awarded to a female author of any nationality for the best original full-length novel written in English, and published in the United Kingdom in the preceding year.[4] The prize was originally due to be launched in 1994 with the support of Mitsubishi but public controversy over the merits of the award caused the sponsorship to be withdrawn.[5] Funding from Orange, a UK mobile network operator and Internet service provider, allowed the prize to be launched in 1996 by a committee of male and female "journalists, reviewers, agents, publishers, librarians, booksellers", including current Honorary Director Kate Mosse.[6][7]
The prize was established to recognise the contribution of female writers, whom Mosse believed were often overlooked in other major literary awards,[8][9] and in reaction to the all-male shortlist for the 1991 Man Booker Prize.[10] The winner of the prize receives £30,000, along with a bronze sculpture called the Bessie created by artist Grizel Niven, the sister of actor and writer David Niven.[11] Typically, a longlist of nominees is announced around March each year, followed by a shortlist in June; within days the winner is announced. The winner is selected by a board of "five leading women" each year.[12] In 2005, judges named Andrea Levy's Small Island as the "Orange of Oranges", the best novel of the preceding decade.[13]
The BBC suggests that the Orange Prize forms part of the "trinity" of UK literary prizes, along with the Man Booker Prize and the Costa Book Awards; the sales of works by the nominees of these awards are significantly boosted.[14] Levy's 2004 winning book sold almost one million copies (in comparison to less than 600,000 for the Man Booker Prize winner of the same year),[15] while sales of Helen Dunmore's A Spell of Winter quadrupled after being awarded the inaugural prize.[5] Valerie Martin's 2003 award saw her novel sales increase tenfold after the award,[16] and British libraries, who often support the prize with various promotions, reported success in introducing people to new authors: "48% said that they had tried new writers as a result of the promotion, and 42% said that they would try other books by the new authors they had read."[17]
However, the fact that the prize singles out female writers is not without controversy.[18] After the prize was founded, Auberon Waugh nicknamed it the "Lemon Prize" while Germaine Greer claimed there would soon be a prize for "writers with red hair".[19] Winner of the 1990 Man Booker Prize A. S. Byatt has called it a "sexist prize", claiming "such a prize was never needed."[20] In 1999, the chairwoman of the judges, Lola Young, claimed that British female literature fell into two categories, either "insular and parochial" or "domestic in a piddling kind of way".[21] Linda Grant suffered accusations of plagiarism following her award in 2000,[22] while the following year, a panel of male critics produced their own shortlist and heavily criticised the genuine shortlist.[23] The 2007 shortlist was decried for being derived from "... a lot of dross ..." by the chair of the judging panel Muriel Gray,[24] while former editor of The Times Simon Jenkins called it "sexist".[25] In 2008, writer Tim Lott called the award "a sexist con-trick" and suggested "the Orange Prize is sexist and discriminatory, and it should be shunned".[26][27] No woman has won the award more than once but Margaret Atwood has been nominated three times without a win. Since the inaugural award to Helen Dunmore, British writers have won five times, while North American authors have secured the prize nine times.
Winners and shortlisted writers
See also
References
- ^ Pryor, Fiona (28 December 2007). "Life after Orange Prize success". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7137156.stm. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ a b Reynolds, Nigel (12 April 2008). "Small Island voted best Orange prize winner of past decade". Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1499760/Small-Island-voted-best-Orange-prize-winner-of-past-decade.html. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Forna, Aminatta (11 June 2005). "Stranger than fiction". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2005/jun/11/orangeprizeforfiction2005.orangeprizeforfiction. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ "Entry rules and regulations". Orange. http://www.orangeprize.co.uk/show/feature/orange-faq-entry-rules-obpf. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ a b Zangen, Britta (April/May 2003). "Women as Readers, Writers, and Judges The Controversy about the Orange Prize for Fiction". Women's Studies 32 (3): 281–299. doi:10.1080/00497870310066. ISSN 00497878.
- ^ "Prize history". Orange. http://www.orangeprize.co.uk/show/feature/orange-faq-history. Retrieved 17 June 2009.
- ^ "The Times Summer Books: Stories by Kate Mosse". The Times (London). 3 July 2008. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/book_reviews/article4263530.ece. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ "Why are the Orange Prize for Fiction and Award for New Writers only open to women?". Orange. http://www.orangeprize.co.uk/show/feature/orange-faq-why-only-open-to-women. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
- ^ Merritt, Stephanie (28 October 2007). "The model of a modern writer". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/oct/28/fiction.stephaniemerritt. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
- ^ "Orange Prize longlist announced". The Guardian (London). 20 March 2000. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2000/mar/20/news. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
- ^ "What do winners win?". Orange. http://www.orangeprize.co.uk/show/feature/orange-faq-what-do-winners-win. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ "Who judges the Prize for Fiction and Award for New Writers?". Orange. http://www.orangeprize.co.uk/show/feature/orange-faq-who-judges. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Ezard, John (3 October 2005). "Orange judges to name best novelist of decade". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/oct/03/orangeprizeforfiction2005.books. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
- ^ "10 ways to get you to read a book". BBC News. 16 October 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7046677.stm. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
- ^ "Science prize seeks new sponsor". BBC News. 16 May 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4985892.stm. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
- ^ "Orange authors eye bright futures". Bookseller: p. 17. 7 May 2004.
- ^ "Library triumph for Orange". Bookseller: p. 31. 1 February 2002.
- ^ Pressley, James (21 April 2009). "Robinson, Feldman Make Final Round in Orange Prize for Fiction". Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=aR6wT5dJd5i4&refer=muse. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Bedell, Geradline (6 March 2005). "Textual politics". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2005/mar/06/orangeprizeforfiction2004.orangeprizeforfiction. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Alberge, Dalya (18 March 2008). "A. S. Byatt denounces 'sexist' Orange prize". The Times (London). http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article3572002.ece. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Gibbons, Fiachra (10 May 1999). "'Piddling' British fiction loses out to Americans". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/1999/may/10/fiachragibbons. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ a b Kennedy, Maev (8 June 2000). "Orange prize winner rejects claims of plagiarism". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2000/jun/08/books.booksnews1. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ a b Gibbons, Flachra (19 May 2001). "Sexes clash on Orange prize". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2001/may/19/books.orangeprizeforfiction2001. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Majendie, Paul (6 June 2007). "Nigerian author wins top women's fiction prize". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSL0627938220070606. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Reynolds, Nigel (18 April 2007). "Booker prize author joins Orange shortlist". Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1548937/Booker-prize-author-joins-Orange-shortlist.html. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Guest, Katy (6 June 2008). "The Big Question: Has the time come to close the book on women-only literary prizes?". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/the-big-question-has-the-time-come-to-close-the-book-on-womenonly-literary-prizes-841352.html. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Oakes, Keily (3 June 2003). "The fiction of women's writing". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2956860.stm. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ McCrum, Robert (10 June 2001). "'The Siege is a novel for now'". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2001/jun/10/fiction.features3. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Shilling, Jane (17 May 2009). "The Winter Vault By Anne Michaels: review". Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/5323544/The-Winter-Vault-By-Anne-Michaels-review.html. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ a b "Martin is surprise Orange prize winner". BBC News. 3 June 2003. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2958540.stm. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Tonkin, Boyd (9 June 1999). "`Disturbing and lyrical' first novel wins Orange prize". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/disturbing-and-lyrical-first-novel-wins-orange-prize-1099021.html. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Ezard, John (6 June 2001). "Out of the 'gum tree and wombat culture'". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2001/jun/06/humanities.orangeprizeforfiction20011. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Brown, Helen (13 June 2002). "It's wrong to sell women literature as aromatherapy". Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3577820/Its-wrong-to-sell-women-literature-as-aromatherapy.html. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Brace, Marianne (12 June 2004). "Andrea Levy: Notes from a small island". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/andrea-levy-notes-from-a-small-island-732211.html. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Ezard, John (6 January 2005). "Whitbread novel prize is double for Levy". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/jan/06/books.whitbreadbookawards2004. Retrieved 7 June 2007.
- ^ "School murder novel wins Orange Prize". Sydney Morning Herald. 9 June 2005. http://www.smh.com.au/news/Books/School-murder-novel-wins-Orange-Prize/2005/06/08/1118123897572.html. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ "Do real men read "women's books"?". BBC News. 5 June 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/breakfast/4072026.stm. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
- ^ Ezard, John (7 June 2006). "Orange prize for Zadie Smith". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/jun/07/orangeprizeforfiction2006.topstories3. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Arana, Marie (17 June 2007). "Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Teller of Tales". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/14/AR2007061401729_pf.html. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Grice, Elizabeth (8 June 2008). "Rose Tremain's Orange Prize: 'You can't pretend to be indifferent to prizes...'". Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/authorinterviews/3553705/Rose-Tremains-Orange-Prize-You-cant-pretend-to-be-indifferent-to-prizes....html. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ Mosse, Kate (8 June 2008). "Noises off: This is a celebration – so cut the whining and just read the books". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/noises-off-this-is-a-celebration-ndash-so-cut-the-whining-and-just-read-the-books-842491.html. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
- ^ Brown, Mark (3 June 2009). "Marilynne Robinson wins Orange prize". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jun/03/marilynne-robinson-orange-prize. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ "Orange Prize for Fiction 2009 Shortlist". Orange. http://www.orangeprize.co.uk/2009-Prize/shortlist. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ "Barbara Kingsolver wins Orange Prize for Fiction". BBC News. 9 June 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/8730935.stm. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ Armistead, Claire (12 April 2011). "Orange prize shortlist favours debut novelists". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/apr/12/orange-prize-debut-novelists. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
- ^ "Orange Prize for Fiction awarded to Tea Obreht". BBC News. 8 June 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13702281. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
External links