The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
‘Extraordinary tale’ wins Dundee’s book prize
Unpublished novel tells tale of a transgender person in 1980s America
A novel telling the story of a transgender person in 1980s America has won the 2016 Dundee International Book Prize.
Jessica Thummel’s The Margins was announced as the winner on Thursday afternoon and the American author has been awarded £5,000, a publishing deal with Freight Books and a week’s protected writing time in Dundee.
Jessica said: “I am thrilled and honoured to have won this year’s Dundee International Book Prize.
“The Margins and its characters have spent the better part of a decade in my mind, so the possibility of them existing in others is both surreal and exhilarating. Thank you for this opportunity.”
The prize was judged by broadcaster Shereen Nanjiani, poet Ian McMillan, critic Hannah McGill and publisher Adrian Searle.
Programme manager for Literary Dundee, Peggy Hughes, said: “Jessica Thummel is a worthy winner of the 2016 Dundee International Book Prize.
“This has been a stellar year for the prize, with tough competition from a very fine shortlist.”
Will Dawson, convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee added: “Each year the quantity and quality of entrants goes from strength to strength.”
Adrian Searle, publisher at Freight Books, said: “I’m truly delighted to welcome Jessica Thummel’s winning novel to the Freight Books list.
“Emerging from an especially strong pool of entries, the Dundee International Book Prize has once again discovered an essential new voice.
“The Margins is an extraordinary exciting and timely novel and we’re thrilled to be publishing it next summer.”
Also shortlisted were Shadow Jumping by Margaret Ries and London Clay by Amy Spencer.
The Dundee International Book Prize is a collaboration between Dundee University, Freight Books and Dundee City Council’s One City, Many Discoveries campaign.
ADRIAN SEARLE FREIGHT BOOKS