MONTANA NZ BOOK AWARDS
THE MISSING FIFTH TITLE
In the opinion of the judges all of the following titles would have "diluted the Montana finalist sticker".
Ask the Posts of the House - Witi Ihimaera
Drybread - Owen Marshall
Playing Friends - Marilyn Duckworth
Lucky Bastard - Peter Wells
Rocking Horse Road - Carl Nixon
Dreamquake - Elizabeth Knox
Mr.Allbones' Ferrets - Fiona Farrell
I have read them all and I reckon any one of them would have been a worthy occupier of that fifth slot. I must particularly note that the Witi Ihimaera title has made the long list of the enormously prestigious Frank O'Connor Short Story Prize in Ireland, open to all short fiction published in English anywhere. There are 39 titles on that list from all over the English speaking world. But shortlisting it for the Montana NZ Book Award would have diluted the list.
Instead of trying to defend what is clearly a major blunder, and a PR disaster, and a significant loss of book sales, Booksellers NZ should be welcoming open and robust debate. And I'm afraid that I have to agree with the many comments suggesting it is time for an overhaul of the Awards and their governance.
Let me make it perfectly clear that this is not a personal issue. I have no vested interest in the matter whatsoever. I know and like two of the three judges. Lynn Freeman is a tireless advocate for the arts in NZ and her The Arts on Sunday is great radio; David Elworthy is one of the elder statesmen of the publishing world, a venerable book trade patrician, and a very old friend of mine.I do not know Tim Corballis.
No, this arguement is about authors being offended, book sales opportunities lost, and faulty administration of the Awards. Perhaps it is time for the Book Publishers Association to take back administration of the Awards?
While I heartily agree with Bookman Beattie's observations, it seems strange to me that any organisation with a vested interest in the award, whether it be booksellers or publishers, should administer it. Surely it would be more objective and professional to use some outside body?
ReplyDeleteYes definitely time for an overhaul. For a start fiction is under-represented and commercial fiction not represented at all. The awards simply don't recognise what people are reading. Maybe it's time for a people's choice award which would not only make the whole thing more relevant but would also bring countless more PR opportunities for the awards.
ReplyDeleteI am still waiting to hear where the NZ Society of Authors stands on this subject. Surely it is them that should be leading this debate instead of leaving it all to poor old BookMan Beattie?
ReplyDeleteNicky Pellegrino raises an interesting point. Perhaps it's time to reassess the Montana categories. Why, for example, in a sports-mad country, is there no sports book award? And are travel books really getting a fair go? Indeed, non-fiction writers writing on non-New Zealand subjects in general rarely make the list, which seems to have a subtle bias towards New Zealand subjects. Shouldn't we be enouraging more writers to look for subjects that would give them a place in the international literary world?
ReplyDeleteIt’s hardly a measure of quality that a book has been longlisted for the Frank O’Connor Short Story Prize. Every eligible entry is longlisted. Let’s try to deal in facts, people.
ReplyDeleteSurely anonymous can hardly be wondering where the NZ Society of Authors stands on this subject - they have made their position crystal clear - they do not take stands - they may upset somebody - they do however take a stand on members taking stands - they do not like it - Nicky is absolutely right - there is something amiss with the whole cultural infrastructure and it needs to be debated and soon
ReplyDeleteThis all brings up the problem that was solved years ago when there was a NZ Book Award and a more populist/polpular book award. Today the Montanas are really neither - and hence of course they attract very little attention normally, except in a circumstance like this when the award is patently being misadministered. As Keri Hulme says it is time for a shakedown. If the current disaster produces anything, it will be a good result.
ReplyDeleteWell Bookman, you say it is not a personal issue but then you go on talk about offended authors which suggests you are projecting your own hurt feelings onto them or taking it on yourself to speak for others. Surely it would be better to let these victims of gross injustice speak for themselves if indeed there has been an injustice and if anyone is actually offended. I have to tell you this picture of a tea-party of tight-lipped furious writers you are promoting is not a good look and I do not think anyone will thank you for doing so. As for the effect on book sales, whilst deferring to your long experience in this field, I would suggest it may be too early to say how the judges' decision may effect the Montanas' long-term power to promote titles at the till(y)
ReplyDeleteI have been a national book awards judge four times over the years but could never do it again. I could not aspire to the precious refinement of taste and judgement shown by the latest panel. In the UK, US or Australia the judges would now be required to explain themselves and debate eccentric decisions but that is not the New Zealand way. They have a bureaucrat stonewall on their behalf. Anyway, I doubt any of them have the sophistication, boldness or frankness to engage in the rough and tumble of such a debate. I would have thought writers, publishers and booksellers would want to lead the way towards a more open society instead of acting as commissars to slam the door. Keeping the list of fiction entries confidential seems outrageous but sadly is typical.
ReplyDeletethis sort of decision is quite common internationally:
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/02/when_should_a_books_jury_remai.html
sorry this didn't come through fully last time:
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/02/when_should_a_books_jury_remai.html
damn. look it up. willesdon herald international short story competition. it's not the only one.
ReplyDeleteIt is fantastic that you have been outspoken re the fiction short list for the Montana Awards.
ReplyDeleteThere is some fine writing out there that has not been short listed and the judges rationale just does not make sense.
I missed some of these titles when writing the Listener piece - I thought the Witi book came out this year, for some reason.
ReplyDeleteRe: Nicky's suggestion of a people's choice award: doesn't one exist already? People can vote online at the Booksellers web site. Of course, they're limited to titles already shortlisted by the judges ...
Re: Joan's suggestion about the administration of the awards - I believe that the Book Council was keen, once upon a time, to take this on. Not sure if that's still the case.
As for the Willesden Herald short story contest, I don't think an open competition like that is the equivalent of the Montanas. (it's more the equivalent of the BNZ Katherine Mansfield Short Story competition.) Our model is more something like the National Book Awards in the US, where books are submitted for consideration by publishers - though there are only four categories (Fiction, Poetry, Non-Fiction, and Young People's Literature.
Because of the argument raging elsewhere on the blog about anonymous comments, I should say that I'm Paula Morris, showing up here as Paula and as PJKM on leaf salon.
Or both, apparently, in either place!
ReplyDelete