Release of Shortlist of National Book Prize 2017 shortlist

The National Book Council announces that the adjudication board of the 2017 edition of National Book Prize and Terramaxka Prize (for books published in 2016) has selected and communicated the shortlisted titles. The selection process started on 25 April of this year with a record number of entries, out of which 35 have been chosen for the 2017 shortlist. As is customary, we are publishing the shortlist for the benefit of the public, who is advised to take note of the entries that appear in the list as these can be considered among the best local publications for the year 2016. There will be further notifications of the shortlist on newspapers and social media.

The NBC would also like to remind the public that there has been a revision in the categories of the Book Prize to the effect that the category of Historiographic Research has now been extended to Biographical and Historiographic Research. In addition, the translation criteria have been modified so that more points are awarded for the merits of the translation than for the choice of work for translation. This holds for both the National Book Prize and the Terramaxka Prize

With the publication of the shortlist the second phase of the selection process comes to an end. Next, the adjudication board will be selecting the winners of the Book Prize for each separate category in both adult literature (National Book Prize) and children’s literature (Terramaxka Prize). The winners of the Terramaxka Prize will be announced on Tuesday, 7 November in a closed ceremony at the Mediterranean Conference Centre on the first day of the Malta Book Festival 2017. The winners of the Book Prize will be announced later, in December, during a ceremony which will be held at Auberge de Castille under the patronage of the Prime Minister.

National Book Prize: Shortlist 2017 Novels in Maltese and English

The Confectioner’s Daughter by Lou Drofenik (Horizons) Shadows in Penumbra by Lillian Sciberras (Horizons) Fid-dlam tal-lejl ħarisna by Immanuel Mifsud (Klabb Kotba Maltin) Nex by Mark Camilleri (Merlin Publishers)

Short stories in Maltese and English

Western: bejn rakkonti, bejn divertimenti by Alfred Sant (SKS Publishers) Awguri, Giovanni Bonello! by Chris Gruppetta (Editor) (Merlin Publishers) Stejjer veri li qatt ma ġraw by Charles Casha (Klabb Kotba Maltin) Mhux nies by Jean Paul Borg (Klabb Kotba Maltin) Poetry in Maltese and English Who looks at the sun anymore by Kenneth Wain (Horizons) Ħuta by Immanuel Mifsud (Klabb Kotba Maltin) Nartiċi by Norbert Bugeja (Klabb Kotba Maltin)

Drama

None of the books were shortlisted

Translation

Marcel Proust: Għat-tfittxija taż-żmien mitluf: Mix-xaqliba ta’ Dar Swann by Paul Zahra Il-maħbub ta’ Lady Chatterley by Alfred Palma (Horizons)

Biographical and Historiographic Research

The great Maltese Composers: Historical context, lives and works by Joseph Vella Bondin (APS Bank Ltd) L-Iżvilupp tal-Edukazzjoni by Joseph A. Xerri (SKS Publishers) The Pre-Siege Maps of Malta: Second Century AD – 1674 by Albert Ganado and Joseph Schiro’ (BDL) The Fleet of the Knights of Malta: Its organisation during the eighteenth century by Joseph F. Grima (BDL) Waking the dead: nineteenth century obituaries of amirror of Maltese Society (1815-c.1910) by Michael Refalo (BDL) Kissing the Gallows by William Zammit (BDL) Remembering Rediffusion in Malta by Toni Sant (Midsea Books Ltd) Nation, Pride and Dignity by Joseph M. Pirotta (Midsea Books Ltd) Min qatel il-patri? by Mark Montebello and Marlene Mifsud Chircop (Klabb Kotba Maltin) Photography in Malta: the history & the Protagonists by Kevin Casha (APS Bank Ltd) Filial Churches in Malta: Qormi: a case study by Hilary Spiteri (Horizons) Treasures of Faith by Edgar Vella (Midsea Books Ltd)

General Research

Maltese plants in the Bible by Peter Calamatta Vanishing Malta: Raising Consciousness on safeguarding Malta’s Legacy by Kevin Casha (APS Bank Ltd) The road less travelled of a Scientist and Priest: Pierre Teilhard De Chardin by Mary Anne Sultana Rescur nirkbu l-mewġ tal-ħajja (Vol.1 – 5) by Carmel Cefai, Paul Bartolo and Katya Galea (Ċentru Reżiljena u Saħħa Soċjo Emozzjonali UOM) Anna tal-Esseni by Emanuel J. Casingena (Horizons) Contemporary Architecture in Malta by Conrad Thake (Kite Group) A commentary on the Constitution of Malta by Tonio Borg (Kite Group) The Maltese Village Festa: a tradiitonal yearly ritual by Patrick J. Fenech (BDL)

Terramaxka Prize: Shortlist 2017

Original Works: Books for Children (Ages 0-7) Wherever could they be? Fejn setgħu qegħdin by Naomi Gatt (Horizons) Il-qtates ta’ max-xatt by Clare Azzopardi (Merlin Publishers) Fil-kamra ta’ Jonas by Emanuel (Noel) Tanti (Merlin Publishers)

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

Żiffa mqarba f’Ħal Buffura by Rita Saliba (BDL) Il-każ tas-serqiet strambi by John A. Bonello (Merlin Publishers) Stejjer ma jitwemmnux mill-Klassi ta’ Miss Ambrożja Pulis Kiftaranipinġini by Audrey Friggieri (Merlin Publishers) Arloġġ u tila by Roberta Bajada (Merlin Publishers) Original Works: Books for Adolescents (Ages 13-16) Fittixni by Antoinette Borg (Merlin Publishers) Translation: Books for Children (Ages 0-7) Inħobbok by Leanne Ellul (Merlin Publishers) Lupu Lupettu jżur il-Foresta tal-Ħrejjef by Clare Azzopardi (Merlin Publishers) Lupu Lupettu jinvestiga l-mużew by Clare Azzopardi (Merlin Publishers) Translation: Books for Children (Ages 812) Teresa by Leanne Ellul and Clare Azzopardi (Merlin Publishers) L-Opri tal-Ħniena imfissra liż-zgħażagħ by Terence Portelli (ĊAK Reliġjon u Ħajja) Translation: Books for Adolescents (Ages 13-16) None of the books were shortlisted