The Orange Prize for Fiction shortlist 2011

The shortlist for this year's Orange Prize for Fiction was announced earlier this week, highlighting some of the best literary fiction in English by female writers over the last year. The gender specificity of the prize has always been a little controversial, but I have followed it with interest from the beginning and have picked up copies of the UK firsts of each of the books on the shortlist, although because of the international scope of the prize the true firsts have been in many cases issued in other countries. In terms of collecting, the list has never approached the popularlity of the Booker Prize, and it would still be possible to assemble a complete set at reasonable cost. The possible exception is Wolf Hall, which is readily obtainable but rather expensive, although prices have fallen significantly over the last years and I expect them to continue to do so. One or two of the others are uncommon, but should not be expensive if you can find them.

Of the six books on this years shortlist, I have featured four previously in my Book of the Week section (links below). The Tiger's Wife seems to be the favourite at present - current prices for the UK editions are given below.


Orange Prize shortlist 2011


* Emma Donoghue (Irish) - Room; Picador, 2010; 7th Novel. Hardcover in dustwrapper. The trade first is around £10-12, with the 250 copy numbered and signed edition £125 or above.

* Aminatta Forna (British/Sierra Leonean) - The Memory of Love; Bloomsbury, 2010; 2nd Novel.  Hardcover in dustwrapper. £18-20.

* Emma Henderson (British) - Grace Williams Says it Loud; Sceptre, 2010; 1st Novel.  Hardcover in dustwrapper uncommon, but around £20.

* Nicole Krauss (American) - Great House; Viking; 3rd Novel. Hardcover in dustwrapper £20-25.

* Téa Obreht (Serbian/American) - The Tiger’s Wife; Weidenfeld and Nicolson; 1st Novel. Hardcover in dustwrapper £20-25.

* Kathleen Winter (Canadian) - Annabel; Jonathan Cape; 1st Novel. Hardcover in dustwrapper £10-12.