2024 Women's Prize Finalists Announced
Plus: Great literary festivals around the world and an adaptation news mini round-up
This Today in Books is brought to you by: The One That Got Away with Murder by Trish Lundy
Be careful who you fall for . . .
Robbie and Trevor Cresmont have enough wealth to ensure they’ll never be found guilty of any wrongdoing, even if everyone believes they're behind the deaths of their ex-girlfriends.
Lauren O'Brian, the new girl at school, has a dark past of her own and she's desperate for a fresh start. Except when she starts a relationship with Robbie, her chance is put in jeopardy. During what’s meant to be their last weekend together, Lauren stumbles across evidence that just might implicate Robbie.
After a third death rocks the town, she must decide whether to end things with Robbie or risk becoming another cautionary tale. Find out more about The One That Got Away with Murder by Trish Lundy here!
2024 Women’s Prize for Fiction Shortlist Announced
And the finalists are:
• Anne Enright, The Wren, The Wren (Irish)
• VV Ganeshananthan, Brotherless Night (American)
• Kate Grenville, Restless Dolly Maunder (Australian)
• Isabella Hammad, Enter Ghost (British)
• Claire Kilroy, Soldier Sailor (Irish)
• Aube Rey Lescure, River East, River West (American / French)
For US readers, a lot to discover here. Neither Brotherless Night nor River East, River West (the two by Americans on the list) got much sustained coverage here. Who is the highest profile author on this list? Kate Greenville has won this award before, but still feels like Anne Enright. Right?
The 8 Best Literary Festivals in the World, From Tucson to Jaipur
Look I have read and linked and written my share of bookish lists in the last decade, but I don’t recall ever seeing one rounding the the best international literary festivals. So kudos to Abbie Kozolchyk on that. Worth browsing the whole list, but let me pull out a few bits specifically:
More than a million people attend the Buenos Aires Book Fair.
in 1977 Richard Booth declared Hay-on-Wye a micro-state and appointed himself sovereign ruler.
The Vatican has an observatory at the University of Arizona.
Jaipur is known as the Pink City after many of the buildings buildings and avenues were painte pink for an 1876 visit to the city by the Price of Wales. Many remain pink today.
Mini Round-up of Adaptations New, with Hype Meter
Three notable bits of adaptation news, with my attendant excitment meter for each.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi in development. I have been waiting for news of a Homecoming project, which has a grander scale than Gyasi’s second novel, Transcendent Kingdom. Still, I am pumped for a Gyasi adaptation of any kind. Hype Meter: 7 out of 10.
Thursday Murder Club Casting. Speaking of just a matter of time: this mega-selling book (and series) is tailor-made for an equally delightful movie series. It’s any easy sell: a group of charming, irascible retirees team up to solve murders. And become friends along the way. It is not quite as sentimental as it sounds (Osman keeps some of the them just bristly enough to cut the sugar), the the banter is excellent and the vibes are off the charts. Hype meter: 8 of 10.
Project Hail Mary Gets Release Date. High-degree of difficulty with the promise of huge payoff. Gosling is on a roll. Barbie was a smash, and he came out of it as well as anyone. The Fall Guy is getting rave reviews. And Project Hail Mary gives him a giant, space canvas to fill next. It’s The Martian crossed with E.T. Sort of. To say more would be to really spoil it but let me just say that Gosling’s co-star in this is going to make or break this. I am pulling hard for making it. Hype meter: 9 out of 10.