The shortlist for the National Book Prize 2018 (NBP) for books published in 2017 has been announced by the National Book Council.
The selection process started on May 11 with a total of 172 entries, out of which 40 have been shortlisted – 25 for the NBP 2018 Shortlist and 15 for the Terramaxka 2018 Shortlist. Two of the shortlisted novels are debut novels by well-known local poets: Ir-Rota Daret Dawra (Kważi) Sħiħa by Nadia Mifsud and Tħabbat Xtaqtek by Gioele Galea.
The winners of the Terramaxka Prize will be announced on November 6 at the official opening of the Malta Book Festival 2018 at Sir Temi Zammit Hall, the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta.
The winners of the National Book Prize will be announced on November 30 during the award-giving ceremony, which will be held at Auberge de Castille under the patronage of the Prime Minister.
The Shortlist for novels and Maltese and English is as follows: Ir-Rota Daret Dawra (Kważi) Sħiħa by Nadia Mifsud (Merlin Publishers); Kapitali by Wayne Flask (Merlin Publishers)
Rokit by Loranne Vella (Merlin Publishers); Love in the time of the Inquisition by Lou Drofenik (Horizons); It-Tawmaturgu: Il-Ħmura ta’ Filgħaxija by Mark Anthony Fenech (Horizons); L-Iżvijati by Walid Nabhan (Klabb Kotba Maltin); Tħabbat Xtaqtek: Djarju mill-Eremitaġġ by Gioele Galea (Horizons); It-Taàr: Distopja, l-ewwel ktieb by John A. Bonello (Serafin Books).
The winners will be announced in November
The shortlisted titles for poetry are Ġenesi: Poeżiji 2007-2016 by Achille Mizzi (Horizons); Xewqat tal-Passa: Poeżiji 2008-2016 by John P. Portelli (Horizons); and Erbgħin Jum by Antoine Cassar (EDE Books).
The shortlisted titles for general research are Woven Splendour: The Tapestries of the Conventual Church of the Knights of Malta by Cynthia de Giorgio (Midsea Books); Birds of the Maltese Islands (Nature Guide Series) by Natalino Fenech (BDL); Gozo and the Grand Tour by Thomas Freller (Midsea Books); Kaxxa Infernali: dizzjunarju tal-logħob tan-nar b’iktar minn 1200 terminu by Carlston Grima (Klabb Kotba Maltin); Spiritual Direction with the Divine Milieu: Insights of Pierre Teilhard du Chardin by Mary Anne Sultana; Curtain Up! by Paul Xuereb (Midsea Books).
The shortlisted titles for biographical and historiographical research books are L-Istorja tal-Partit Laburista by Francis Galea (SKS Publishers); Ritratti ta’ Tfuliti by Reno Muscat (Faraxa Publishing); ‘Kollni kemm jien għalikom’: Il-Ħajja Mqanqla ta’ Mikiel Gonzi u Żminijietna (1885-1984) by Louis Cilia (Klabb Kotba Maltin); A Visual Guide to the Fortifications of Malta by Stephen C. Spiteri (BDL); Minn Fomm il-Poplu by Guido Lanfranco (Klabb Kotba Maltin); Il-Maltin: Għemilhom, Drawwiethom, Ġrajjiethom: L-ewwel volum by Steve Borg (Klabb Kotba Maltin); Sal-Quċċata tal-Everest by Marco Cremona and Glen Calleja (Merlin Publishers); Birżebbuġa...Storja u Kultura by Conrad D’Amato and Matthew Balzan (Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa).
The shortlisted books in the Terramaxka prize for different categories are available online.
http://ktieb.org.mt/