The winners of the 2021 National Book Prize were announced during a ceremony held at the Auberge de Castille under the auspices of the Office the Prime Minister and attended by the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry for Education Dr Francis Fabri. The National Book Prize is presented annually by the National Book Council with the aim of celebrating the highest achievements in literary and research publishing in Malta.
In his opening address, National Book Council (NBC) executive chairperson Mark Camilleri welcomed all National Book Prize finalists to the awards ceremony, which also commemorated the 50th anniversary since the National Book Prize was first awarded in 1971. Camilleri noted that despite the challenges the previous year brought on the local book industry, the number of publications produced in 2020 was heartening and the ceremony would also be in recognition of the resilience of Maltese publishing. Camilleri affirmed that 2021 was another year of rigorous work for the Council and that his primary objective in his new role is to see the Council strengthened to be able to better support the industry, and renewed through synergies with other entities and public institutions.
The winning titles were selected by independent adjudication panels from a shortlist of 46 titles, published in the preceding year, across eight competitive categories.
On the occasion of the National Book Prize’s 50th anniversary, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry for Education Dr Francis Fabri spoke of the strong ties linking national identity and the country’s literature. He stressed the importance of writers’ and publishers’ contributions towards the development of national identity which they help shape with their works; a living and dynamic identity such as that of Malta’s also relies on writers’ continued efforts to renew it with observations that capture the country’s social, political, and economic realities.
The National Book Council thanked the members of the jury who served on the adjudication board for the 2021 National Book Prize: Prof. William Zammit, Mario Ellul and Maria Giuliana Fenech for the categories of General Research, Biographical and Historiographic Research and Literary Non-Fiction, John Grech, Dr Stephen Bonanno and Rowna Baldacchino for the literary categories, and Malta Libraries CEO Cheryl Falzon for the classification. The NBC also extended its thanks to Dr Nicole Bugeja, Kristy Borg and Ruth Ancilleri, the adjudicators of the Premju Terramaxka for children and adolescents which was awarded during the opening night of the 2021 Malta Book Festival.
Winners
Winner of the category novels in Maltese and English
Goele Galea – In-nar għandu isem: noti minn paġna intima
Winner of the category short stories in Maltese and English
Lara Calleja – Kissirtu kullimkien
Winner of the category poetry in Maltese and English
Carmel Scicluna – L-ambjent li qeridna: poeżiji (2017-2020)
Winner of the category drama in Maltese and English prize not awarded
Winner of the category translation
Paul Zahra – Mix-xaqliba ta’ dar swann – ismijiet ta’ pajjiżi: l-isem
Winner of the category literary non-fiction
Immanuel Mifsud, Toni Sant – Iien - noti - jien: ħsejjes u stejjer
Winner of the category general research
Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci – The beheading of Ignez: Katabasis, ezra pound and three Maltese artists
Winner of the category biographical and historiographical research
Martin Micallef (ed.) – Crux invicta: il-kurċifiss mirakuluż u l-kapuċċini f’Għawdex
Prize for the best book production
Midsea books – The Addolorata Cemetery
Prize for the best emerging author
Stephen Lughermo
Lifetime achievement award for contribution to literature
Rena Balzan