Kit Azzopardi analyses facts and figures related to this year’s submissions for the National Book Prize ahead of the announcement of the shortlist.
In a matter of weeks, the National Book Council will announce this year’s shortlist for the National Book Prize for books published in 2014.
Such prizes tend to translate into controversies in many countries. However, I believe that this year’s edition makes a clear statement towards transparency, especially given how the categories have been restructured.
The way it has been restructured gives more strength and prestige to the literary slant, without doing away with the research categories, hence filling otherwise gaping voids in the local scene.
Hopefully, the prize itself will serve as an incentive to increase standards across the border and elicit the best candidates to be translated and showcased to a broader readership.
In this piece, I present my takes on some aspects of this edition’s contestants, the numbers behind them and what they add up to.
Statistical scrutiny
Most submissions (58) have been pitched in categories of a literary nature, specifically novels, short stories, poetry, drama, and translations; the rest (48) have been set-up for general and historiographic research.
As expected, Klabb Kotba Maltin and Merlin Publishers are foremost among the publishing houses. However, this year’s edition sees Horizons and Dom Comm. Ltd also asserting their presence in the local market by putting forward several publications.
Notably, Horizons is displaying an impressive selection of both emerging and established authors as well as good taste in design.
While it is reassuring to see that other entities, besides publishers, are contributing to the ever-growing body of Maltese publications (Qrendi council and Sciberras Associates Press), such contributions from civic society contesting for this prize are still very small. One assumes that there are others that did not submit their publications for consideration. There are also eight self-published books. Most of these are poetry publications which, given that the realm of poetry relates more to performance and music rather than selling books, kind of makes sense.
It is surprising that only Darren Zammit Lupi’s Isle Landers is self-published among the research categories. Hopefully, this means that research books are finding the support of publishing houses.
The literary categories
The main categories for books of literary merits are novels (26), short stories (eight), poetry (14), drama (two) and translations (eight). In the first category, one cannot but notice Immanuel Mifsud’s Jutta Heim, a definitive look-out for critics and readers alike, both if it is shortlisted or otherwise, since Immanuel is expected to live up to past prizes, especially the EU Prize for Literature (2011).
Given the reviews and the prominent shelves they have occupied in local bookshops, Mark Vella’s X’Seta’ Ġralu lil Kevin Cacciattolo? and Teodor Reljic’s Two might also be tough contenders. Both authors have debuted with these novels, while Teodor’s is also the only submission in English in his category.
Another publication which attracted my attention is Il-Polz li Baqa’ Jħabbat (Bertram Portelli). It is remarkably promising to see a young author contesting the prize.
The short story category, on the other hand, has several notable authors which have already published, even though only eight publications have been submitted. Among these we find Edgar Formosa (Insaniam), Rita Saliba (Satin) and Carmel Scicluna (Feruti and Il-Kummidjanti tal-Parlament).
Yet, I feel that it is Clare Azzopardi’s Kulħadd Ħalla Isem Warajħ which stands out most, especially given her technical accomplishments in the use of present tense to narrate stories and her excellent characterisation of women amid other merits.
Poetry is also a greatly-contested category with award-winning poets who have already proved themselves on past occasions and who are also featured in syllabi.
This goes contrary to the drama category, where only Doris Vella Camilleri (Jum il-Ħaqq), and Ġorġ Peresso (Il-Mara ta’ Dlielha Twil) are contenders for the prize, most probably because this lacuna is amply filled with the Francis Ebejer Prize and because scriptwriters would rather see their plays performed than printed.
The translations’ category, with only eight submissions, is dominated by Faraxa Books, who have four publications and are proving to be a key contributor in this area. Nonetheless, it is sad to see such a small number of translations being pitched, despite the fact that recently funds have been made available for this specific purpose.
General and historiographic research
The categories for research of a general as well as historiographic nature, are also highly contested and diversified, with very valid contributions by talta University Publishers, Malta University Press and Midsea Books.
In stark contrast to other categories, most publications in these areas are in English (11 out of 22 in the category for general research and 15 out of 26 in historiographic research). This can be accounted for by the appeal these areas hold for tourists and foreign students of subjects such as art, history and international relationships.
Yet, one notes that almost half of the publications in these areas are in Maltese as well as 53 from 58 in the literary categories, which goes contrary to the perceived idea that contemporary Maltese is not fit for writing and sequential publication.
Terramaxka
One of this year’s merits of the National Book Prize is the removal of textbooks, which used to jar next to other categories.
The special treatment of children’s books is also notable, especially since a separate event, Terramaxka (a traditional street organ), will be held. Australia, to name one example, has its own Children’s Book Council – maybe Terramaxka could eventually be developed in this direction.
It seems that fewer publishing houses are taking chances in this category, which is practically dominated by Klabb Kotba Maltin and Merlin Publishers, who have put forward 43 publications from a total of 48.
Merlin Publishers are the key players in the categories for translated works for children aged 8 to 12 and 13 to 16. On the other hand, Klabb Kotba Maltin dominates almost exclusively the category for original works for children up to seven, four of which are of an educational nature and written by Terence Portelli.
Apparently, the year 2014 saw publishing houses investing heavily in translations for children: of the 48 publications presented for Terramaxka, 25 are translations. One notes the submission of two dictionaries: Trevor Żahra’s Stampakelma and Christopher J. Micallef’s Dizzjunarju Malti għat-Tfal.
Of special mention is the fact that in the category for translated works for teens (13 to 16), only Simon Bartolo’s Kważi Kważi lil Tamara Nżommuha has been submitted.
To conclude
It would be interesting to have statistical insights as to how sales correspond to the short-listing of publications, since in the end the real prize should not be prize money or trophies, but the actual promotion of the books deemed best by an expert jury.
Submissions of books give important insights into what authors and publishing houses deem most worthwhile to publish
One idea would be to institutionally help in the translation of the winnings books. While the above is only a snapshot of the publishing scene in Malta (the council’s annual report for 2014 lists 541 ISBNs as opposed to the 153 participating publications), submissions of books give important insights into what authors and publishing houses deem most worthwhile to publish. They also give an indication of how future funds could be distributed, for instance for the translation of books written in languages which are not widely accessible (given that only eight translations have been put forward).
Another practical application of such insights would be to help reduce the differences between sexes. From the main categories (literary and research) 87 publications are written by men, while only 19 are by women.
Books submitted for Terramaxka offer a hint of hope, though. Here, 26 of the publications are written by men and 22 by women (one must note that 16 are written/ translated by Clare Azzopardi, Rita Saliba or Loranne Vella).
Hopefully, such national prizes also translate into addressing such statistical let downs as the council has been doing recently.
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