The Women's Prize for Non-Fiction longlist 2024

[@Heatherskl]

I’ve almost finished Doppelgänger and it’s such a great book.

[@hellobookworm]

Ooh, I'm hoping to get to that one too. Got my copy, but first I want to read How to Say Babylon.

[@hellobookworm]

I didn't know what to expect from this longlist, but I'm absolutely delighted with the selected nominees. I'm currently listening to the audiobook of Eve (it's fascinating), and tomorrow I'll start reading How to Say Babylon. Hurrah!

[@bookofdust]

I did call Doppelgänger and Thunderclap as being on the list, two from my best of year NF list the former at number one and latter number four. Wifedom and Babylon have been on my holds list at the library and I was planning on reading them in the next few weeks. All that She Carried I tried reading years ago, but lost interest in finishing. Otherwise all the other books were new to me. I’m intrigued that straightforward memoirs didn’t really make the list, the ones that did tend to have another prominent element intertwined with the writer’s own story. I think Doppelgängers and Thunderclap are really strong works, sure to make the short list.

[@hellobookworm]

I'm curious about All That She Carried. I like the premise, but the opening pages didn't grab me. I may revisit it later as longlisted books tend to hold their luster much longer in my eyes than other books. But it's nice to hear from someone else who didn't immediately connect with that book either.

[@bookofdust]

@@hellobookworm I got disappointed when I found out the objects that were in the bag had been removed or lost upon the way and that only the bag basically existed. I was much more interested in the bag and objects as a whole, rather then the bag itself, and I felt that the book would have to have a little of filler to make it that big and not substantial enough. I was hoping for something more along the lines of Hannah’s Suitcase, which belonged to a Jewish person who had died in the concentration camps and ended up in a Japanese museum. Or even like The Hare With the Amber Eyes.

[@hellobookworm]

@@bookofdust Oh dear. I can see how that would be disappointing. Sounds a bit like Never Caught, which was supposed to shed light on the Washingtons' runaway slave Ona Judge, but there was too little historical record of her to craft a book that felt substantial. I haven't heard of the two books you mentioned so I looked them up. The Hare With the Amber Eyes sounds particularly fascinating. Makes me think of People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (though this is fiction). Have you read it?

[@bookofdust]

@@hellobookworm Yes! It’s one of my favorite books. I do like that it used a real work at the center of the story even though it fictionalized what happened to it. I like books that do this, both fiction and nonfiction. The Glass Room is about a very famous modernist home that was built in Eastern Europe and still exists to this day. The book imagines it history, especially being at the crossroads of wars and conflicts and uses some real history as a jumping off point. I was hoping North Woods was going to be similar, but the emergence of the Magic Realism dampened the impact for me. I’ve had Horse on my TBR forever and even as a library hold in the past, but have not yet gotten around to it.

[@hellobookworm]

@@bookofdust Wow, The Glass Room sounds interesting too. I have a copy of North Woods on my bedside table. I'm hoping to read that one later this year. I gravitate toward magical realism, so hopefully this book will work for me. After reading Geraldine Brooks' The Secret Chord, I was desperate for a new book from her, yet I still haven't read Horse. Not sure why. Maybe because it sounds so similar to The Sport of Kings by C.E. Morgan, which I loved and can't imagine any book on that subject outpacing. Still, I would like to read Horse someday and am always keeping an eye out for a used copy.

[@clarepotter7584]

'Thunderclap' sounds great.

[@karinasuarez9981]

Hello Eric! I love your hello and my husband said you’re happy with my comment. ❤ Thanks for inspiring me to read more literature. He joined your book club and I’m going to join an Argentinean book club online because it takes me longer to read in English being a foreigner. I’m taking my time, but reading Blonde with the original beautiful Carol Joyce Oates writing.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Hellooo! 😄 Yes, Michael left a lovely message today. That’s great you’re joining an Argentinian book club and I’m so glad you’re reading Blonde!

[@karinasuarez9981]

Blonde it’s so moving and respectful of Norma Jean as a human being and not just a famous actress or a silly blonde. So many layers within Marilyn. Thanks so much for recommended it! ❤

[@BookwormAdventureGirl]

I too am mostly a fiction reader so it will be interesting to see how this prize goes this years. Eve and Thunderclap sound interesting to me. Ohhh Some People Need Killing... might have to check that out too! 😊💙

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Yeah, Evangelista's book sounds so powerful!

[@drawyourbook876]

I am interested in matrescence, but the previous Lucy jones that I read was just ok, so I don't know... Also, the Naomi Klein has been in my TBR since last year, I am now just patiently waiting for the paperback to come out

[@inaguddle3050]

I am so excited by the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction! Loved Wifedom. Keen to track down Thunderclap, Vulture Capitalism, Eve and Code Dependent.

[@pamwhite768]

I have only read one of these books- “All that she carried” which was disappointing, more of a memoir and travelogue. I have Doppelgänger on hold at the library and would love to read several on the list, Wifedom; The Dictionary People; Shadows at Noon; and Young Queens. Thanks for the review!

[@cindyhaiken5644]

I’m so excited for this new prize and quite struck by the range and variety of the books on the inaugural longlist. I’ve read 5 of them (Thunderclap is beautifully done). Of the rest, I think Wifedom, Young Queens and The Britannias are where I’ll begin. It’s going to be interesting to try to balance this longlist with the fiction longlist coming next month!

[@mradcaqbdb]

All That She Carried Will be first for me. I’ve thought about reading it ever since it got all the acclaim over here a year or two ago. I put the audio on hold at the library. Thunderclap is the other one that grabs me since I adored the author’s previous book On Chapel Sands. I should have picked up Thunderclap when I was in London last year. I’ll think about a few others on the list, but I probably won’t read any others before the shortlist is announced. Lovely to have a new prize to have fun with!

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Tiya Miles' book certainly sounds powerful! I'd meant to read On Chapel Sands - I know she's highly acclaimed. 📚

[@TheEmzies]

All That She Carried was such a good book showing how a simple sack can illuminate the stories of enslaved black women and their descendants. It was a reminder that the stories of women and black people are not found in the archive, the traditional home of the historian.

[@ArtemisC.DAragon]

Thank you Eric! A few tempting titles to my never ending list!!! 🤗📚🍀✨

[@joyceredman2136]

Doppelganger sounds really interesting. Followed by Thunderclap.

[@user-yg6ft1iu1i]

All That She Carried was fascinating. Wifedom, Thunderclap and Doppelgänger some really good

[@readandre-read]

I'm interested in Wifedom, Doppelganger and possibly Thunderclap and The Dictionary People. The list looks strong, thanks for sharing it!

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Great! 📚

[@Phillybookfairy]

Sooo many of these sound great! I’m going to read Eve and How to Say Babylon since I have them both. The others will go onto my 2025 tbr lol😂

[@barbarahelgaker390]

Coincidence! Just bought Thunder Clap a few days ago as so many people have mentioned it. The Dictionary book also is top of my list -

[@amesforbooks1343]

Doppelgänger and How to say Babylon were already on my TBR. Love seeing an Aussie author in the mix so my friend and I will buddy read Wifedom. The Britannias also looks good but the rest I will wait to see what gets through to the shortlist.

[@hellobookworm]

Sounds like a great strategy (and fun!). I'm going to start reading How to Say Babylon tomorrow. I'm so excited! ☺

[@charleeeeeeeettle]

Will you be doing any reactions with Anna this year i.e. to the shortlist? I love your back and forth and guesses!

[@hellobookworm]

Ooh, yes, I love those too. Here's hoping they'll continue the tradition. ☺

[@ariannefowler455]

Shadows at Noon, All That She Carried, and Code Dependent are the top three that I want to read. Although, Code Dependent won't be available in the US until mid-June. Doppelganger sounds interesting and probably one I'll add to my tbr. This was a surprising (to me) longlist.

[@onetrickpony381]

Is this lovely tee from the women? 💙

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Yep! Love that film. Jungle red! 💅

[@morganeua]

Exciting, thanks for going through them all!

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Really looking forward to sharing your reading journey through this Longlist, Eric. I’m deep into Matrescence and think it’s a very important book 😊

[@hellobookworm]

Hi, Louise! I'm on the fence about Matrescence. Do you think it would appeal to childfree readers?

[@heathersneddon8866]

Have read Wifedom which is very good. Like you, going to select some of these to read including Doppelganger

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Great! Hope you discover some good reads. 📚

[@MicahRion]

This is such an exciting launch! I've added 'Intervals' and 'Vulture Capitalism' to my list!

[@anne-marie339]

Eve, Doppelganger, and How to Say Babylon have all been on my tbr since their releases so I'm excited to see them on this list. Vulture Capitalism, Shadows at Noon, Some People Need Killing, and Code Dependent are all new to me and sound very interesting. Thanks for highlighting the long list and each book's description - it's super helpful!

[@booksandbags]

I love this prize! There’s not enough attention paid to women’s NF. I have several on my TBR, but I think I will try to read all of them. How to Say Babylon was one of my favorite reads from last year-compelling story and beautiful prose.

[@CharlieBrookReads]

What a momentous occasion to see the first WP non fiction longlist. Very excited by lots of these but gonna head to How To Say Babylon first. Top of my list after that are probably Some People Need Killing, Shadows At Noon & A Flat Place. Thank you for chatting about these with us Eric 😊

[@EricKarlAnderson]

That's a fab plan! I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of what you get time to read. 📚

[@LouiseReader]

I've just started How to Say Babylon on audio, and naturally it is a delight due to the author's wonderful Jamaican accent. It's a great longlist overall I think, and I'll be trying to get to a few of these.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Great! Yes, I can imagine it must be fantastic on audio. I’m so looking forward to following your progress and thoughts on the books. 📚

[@erinh7450]

I've read How to Say Babylon (well, the audio narrated by the author) - excellent. Of the rest, I already had Some People Need Killing on my TBR, and Shadows at Noon sounds really interesting. And maybe Vulture Capitalism, Doppelganger, and Wifedom.

[@fictionallatitude]

My choices from the long list are Wifedom, Thunderclap and Young Queens. Like you, I've not long re-read 1984, and Julia is on my list to read soon, so Wifedom will supplement that reading. Young Queens interests me to see how their time in the French court affected the Queens' decisions. Thunderclap makes it onto my reading list as I don't know anything about the artist of the Goldfinch, and it is sounds an intriguing read. It will certainly be interesting to see which make the short list, but I'd be surprised if Doppelganger, Thunderclap and Some People Need Killing aren't in the final cut.

[@dqan7372]

Vulture Capitalism and Some People Need Killing sound the most interesting and vital at the moment. Eve sounds fascinating, but there's another new book on evolution I want to read first.

[@janethansen9612]

Not many of these titles are available here yet, but I'll get hold of a couple. I have read Wifedom which was so good, very interesting depiction of women's roles in the Spanish Civil War,

[@Revnedkitty]

I have Wifedom and Eve on my TBR. A few others look interesting to me that I hadn’t heard of before. An ever growing problem with my reading. 😂

[@lizhumphreys157]

What a fantastic list to get us started. They all sound like must-reads. I’m most drawn to Young Queens, Thunderclap and Eve so will probably start with those.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Great! Hope you enjoy them.

[@girlsaint]

How to Say Babylon was excellent.

[@josmith5992]

I thought it was a really strong list, I was pleasantly surprised it wasn’t inundated with memoirs which seem to be such a huge part of non fiction reading nowadays. Shadows of Noon would be my top choice to read but I’m also interested in Eve, Wifedom, Thunderclap, Young Queens, The Dictionary People, The Britannias, Some People Need Killing and A Flat Place.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Yes, it could have easily gone that way but the judges seem to have picked an interestingly diverse selection of disciplines.