The Goldsmiths Prize 2021 Shortlist

Recently I've found a lot of enjoyment and inspiration reading innovative new fiction that's been shortlisted for this year's Goldsmiths Prize. Click ‘Show More’ for info & links.
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Goldsmiths Prize Shortlist Readings: October 20
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Winner Announced: November 10
Books discussed & purchase links:
Sterling Karat Gold by Isabel Waidner
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Assembly by Natasha Brown
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Little Scratch by Rebecca Watson
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Checkout 19 by Claire Louise-Bennett
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This One Sky Day by Leone Ross
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A Shock by Keith Ridgway
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My full reviews of some of these books:
Checkout 19 by Claire Louise-Bennett
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This One Sky Day by Leone Ross
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Little Scratch by Rebecca Watson
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[@KierTheScrivener]

This sounds so amazing. I found you through the booker but I love the way you talk about books and all the books I've learned about through you

[@taaptee]

Read Assembly in a single sitting just today and have been looking for videos on it ever since! Wonderful video as always.

[@cindyhaiken5644]

I’m extremely excited by this shortlist. In many ways, I think it’s a more energized list than the Booker shortlist. This One Sky Day will definitely be on my list of favorite books of the year as well. I’ve signed up for the reading next week. Hope your spirits are lifted by these books and in general.

[@user-yg6ft1iu1i]

Thank you for saying This One Sky Day is Popisho in the States. I wouldn’t have made the connection but we recently did purchase Leone Ross short story collection.

[@leahsinspace3315]

i love the goldsmiths prize so much - last year’s winner is one of my favourite novels of allllll time

[@user-iu4ws6vh5s]

I love the intent behind this prize! I’ve only read two on this list but want to check them all out.

[@OhioEddieBlack]

I purchased This One Sky Day after you talked about it a couple of months ago. So glad to hear you still think it's awesome. Can't wait to read it.

[@scallydandlingaboutthebook2711]

My goodness, your enthusiasm for One Sky Day was so palpable that I broke off watching and bought the e-book of it.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Oh good, hope you enjoy it!

[@chockycake1]

I’m really having to give This One Sky Day another go. 🤷‍♀️it’s certainly a beautiful book to look at 😊

[@BobTheBookerer]

Yay! I’m so excited to read this shortlist! I’ve only read Little Scratch from this list so far, but unsettling is definitely the word for it! Such a brilliant and clever book! Yes- the audiobook overlap of voices was so powerful! Oh my goodness, Rebecca Watson’s tweet about that page! 😂 Sterling sounds so good! I’ve been flicking through my copy and resisting the urge to just ignore the library books I need to give back 😂 Checkout 19 sounds right up my street! I feel like this is a prize I want to take the leap with, and just follow properly.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Yeah some of the things that happen in Sterling are quite wild in a way I’d normally find too jarring but because the characters and their relationships feel so human I find it charming instead of alienating. And also I can feel the urgency and frustration of the issues raised. Yep, you should definitely get a Goldsmiths Prize Boy badge! 😄 Are you going to watch the online event with the shortlisted authors?

[@BobTheBookerer]

@@EricKarlAnderson Oh lovely! That’s really good to hear! I can’t wait to read it! Haha, yes! But at this rate, I’m worried I might start trying to collect those badges like an over-eager Boy Scout 😂 And yes! Very tempted to check out the event- thanks for the heads-up about it!

[@janethansen9612]

This One Sky Day is one of my favourites for 2021. I also read Assembly and I thought it had a lot to say in so few words.

[@sandeesandwich2180]

Borderliners by Peter Hoeg is the book that comes to mind -- also, it is my favorite contemporary book of all time. I'm not sure that I can put my finger on what is different about it, except that is a book I read with my cerebellum and not my cerebral cortex, like it was tapping into feelings I had before I had language to express them.

[@SpringboardThought]

Some great stuff here! Would love to read more innovative stuff.

[@josmith5992]

I’m always intimidated by experimental fiction particular when it comes to unusual structure like Little Scratch but have been intrigued by This One Sky Day since you mentioned it Eric and definitely want to try it eventually.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Yeah, I definitely know what you mean. It can be quite disorientating at first and sometimes I find it too off putting when I just want to get to the story. But sometimes like with Little Scratch it can have a powerful effect after getting into the rhythm of it. Hope you're able to try This One Sky Day at some point.

[@AJDunnReads]

Did you read _Pond_ by Clair Louise Bennett? How does _Checkout 19_ compare to that as far as the writing? I liked _Pond_ a lot, but I don't know that I exactly understood it. I read it twice. If you read _Pond_ please explain it to me. I included it in a wrap-up and gave my thoughts, but I'm interested in others' experiences with it.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

I always meant to read Pond but never got around to it. I feel like you’ll have a similar experience in parts of Checkout 19 because I definitely didn’t get what was happening in some sections but others felt extremely poignant.

[@AJDunnReads]

@@EricKarlAnderson Interesting. When I was reading _Pond_ I felt like there was some message I was supposed to be getting other than what I got. 🤣 I liked it a lot, though, so maybe I'll check out _Checkout 19._

[@BrandonsBookshelf]

Adding One Sky Day right now, thank you!

[@kimswhims8435]

This One Sky Day by Leone Ross is sitting on my TBR pile, looking forward to it.

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

Hope things are a bit better for you Eric.

[@LarryHasOpinions]

assembly was getting a lot of buzz a few months ago but now it seems to have gone quiet somewhat, one sky day sounds quite interesting, i dont really follow this prize so it was really cool to hear about it :-)

[@EricKarlAnderson]

I think that's the issue though with some books that have some enthusiastic fans at first but then that buzz dies down and they can fade away. So I like how prizes can give them another chance in the spotlight. Of course, there are plenty of books that don't get either kind of fanfare but what can ya do? 😄📚

[@alanshadastrokeanddiedinho2897]

Such an interesting video. Currently reading Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat An Iranian author. The Blind Owl was first published in 1937 in India. Then published in Iran where it was quickly banned. Then republished in Iran in 1943 where it was banned again. The story follows an unnamed narrator whose wife had died. A stream of consciousness thought with no chapter breaks as the narrator goes through the process of grieving. The book is only 73 pages long.

[@18Alpine]

Please read Zakes Mda,

[@melissamybubbles6139]

I'm sure if my thoughts were narrated, others would be irritated.

[@kimswhims8435]

The Animals in That Country by Laura Jean Mckay (2020), is an Australian dystopia novel where there is a plague (topical) that allows Humans to understand animals with surprising results. The way people hear the animals is handled with some strange word association poetry, quite unique. I need to go back and read it again, can't get it out of my head (bit the same as what happens to the characters). I think the title is a play on the poetry of Margaret Atwood on her poem of the same name.

[@janethansen9612]

@kimswhims I found it quite unsettling, but I too feel like I need to re read it.