Debut authors dominate National Book Prize shortlist

The National Book Council has announced that the Independent Adjudication Board has selected and communicated the shortlisted finalists for the National Book Prize and the Terramaxka Prize 2016. 

The shortlist can be seen below, and all the selected books will be available to purchase from this year’s edition of the Malta Book Festival, taking place between November 9 and 13 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta. 

As a welcome surprise for this year, quite a large number of new authors appear in the shortlist, from which we can infer a heightened interest in the contest on the part of the local community of writers and publishers. We are very pleased with this as it reflects very postively on our work to intensify both readership and literary production in the local market.

National Book Prize 2016 – the shortlist

Novels in Maltese and English

Vandalism by Lizzie Eldridge (Merlin Publishers)

Iż-żejt f’qiegħ l-ilma by Martin Bugelli (Kite Group)

Jien, bħalek. Differenti. by Lorraine Galea (Horizons)

Esklussiva Dotcom by Gabriel Schembri (Klabb Kotba Maltin)

Trojan by Alex Vella Gera (Klabb Kotba Maltin)

Short-Stories in Maltese and English

Vespri by Trevor Zahra (Merlin Publishers)

Mhux Bilfors Hekk ... by Alex Mizzi (Klabb Kotba Maltin)

Poetry in Maltese and English

Bla qiegħ: poeżija mit-trab 2010-2013 by Joe P. Galea (Horizons)

Klin u kapriċċi oħra by Adrian Grima (Klabb Kotba Maltin)

South of the Kasbah by Norbert Bugeja (Midsea Books Ltd.)

Barefoot in the Saltpans – Poetry Mediterranean by Daniel Massa (Allied Publications)

Kantuniera ‘l bogħod by Nadia Mifsud (Skarta)

Translation

L-Iljieli Għarbin by Edmund Teuma (BDL)

Oscar u s-sinjura roża by Claudine Borg (Faraxa Publishing)

Sharon u l-kunjata – Djarji minn Ramallah by Jean Paul Borg (SKS)

Il-Kappillan ta’ Tours by Paul Zahra (Paul Zahra)

Il-Pesta tal-1676 by Joseph F. Grima (BDL)

Historiographic Research

Slavery – Malta at the Crossroads: Transhipment of Slaves in a British Colony during the Nineteenth Century by Michael Refalo (BDL)

Judge Robert Ganado: A history of the Government Departments from 1815 and lawyers from 1666 by Albert Ganado (BDL)

Caravaggio to Mattia Preti: Baroque Painting in Malta by Keith Sciberras (Midsea Books Ltd.)

The People of the North 1546-1610 by Paul Catania (Midsea Books Ltd.)

The Battle of Lepanto: 7 October 1571 - An Unpublished Hospitaller Account by Paul George Pisani (Salesians of Don Bosco)

Giuseppe Donati and Umberto Calosso: two Italian anti-fascist refugees in Malta by Giorgio Peresso (SKS)

History of Ornithology in Malta by Joe Sultana and John J. Borg (Birdlife Malta)

General Research

Wild Flowers of the Maltese Islands by Edwin Lanfranco and Guido Bonett (BDL)

Antonio Sciortino: the Lost Album by Gerald Bugeja (Kite Group)

Patroloġija: L-Ewwel Volum by Alessandru Bonnici and Salvinu Caruana (ĊAK)

Rivelazzjoni u Profetiżmu fl-Islam by Edmund Teuma (ĊAK)

The Maltese Islands and the Sea by Timmy Gambin (ed.) (Midsea Books Ltd.)

Qiegħda fil-Ponta ta’ Lsieni 2 by Ġużi Gatt (Klabb Kotba Maltin)

Population ageing in Malta: Multidisciplinary Perspectives by Marvin Formosa and Charles Scerri (Malta University Press)

Aspetti tat-Traduzzjoni Maltija: it-Transfer Kreattiv fit-Traduzzjoni bil-Malti by Charles Briffa (Horizons)

Terramaxka Book Prize 2016

Original Works: Books for Children (Ages 0-7)

Mingu by Clare Azzopardi (Merlin Publishers)

Żuża, iż-żebra l-kurjuża by Mark Zammit (Klabb Kotba Maltin)

In-Naffar li xtaq itir / The Scarecrow who wanted to fly by Rita Saliba (Horizons)

Original Works: Books for Children (Ages 8-12)

Irvin Vella – Investigatur Virtwali: Il-Każ Manduca by John A. Bonello (Merlin Publishers)

Il-Professur Għasfur by Ġorġ Mallia (Merlin Publishers)

L-Avventuri ta’ Tipi by Joan Alison Farrugia (BDL)

L-Għorfa f’tarf l-irdum by Victor Fenech (Horizons)

Original Works: Books for Adolescents (Ages 13-16)

Wiċċ imb wiċċ mal-verità by Carmel G. Cauchi (BDL)

Djamantini by Kulleġġ Santa Klara, Sekondarja Pembroke (Kulleġġ Santa Klara, Sekondarja Pembroke)

Esperjenza Unika, Love by Jacqueline Mizzi (Horizons)

Translation: Books for Children (Ages 0-7)

X’Qed Tara? by Rachel Portelli (Merlin Publishers)

Bertu l-bebbuxu supereroj by Clare Azzopardi (Merlin Publishers)

Ġakki l-Pirata by Clare Azzopardi (Merlin Publishers)

Kamilla tixtieq familja ġdida by Clare Azzopardi (Merlin Publishers)

Lupu Lupettu ma jridx jimxi aktar by Clare Azzopardi (Merlin Publishers)

Vjoletta by Loranne Vella (Merlin Publishers)

Translation: Books for Children (Ages 8-12)

Il-Leġġenda ta’ San Ġorġ u d-Dragun by Pierre J. Mejlak (Merlin Publishers)