Every year, the National Book Council celebrates the achievements of both established and up-and-coming authors with the National Book Prize. The Sunday Times of Malta takes a look at the winners in the many categories, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, translation and research. 

The National Book Prize, organised annually by the National Book Council, promotes literature by encouraging talented authors on their creative journeys. The awards ceremony for 2019 was held on January 30 at the President’s Palace.

Goiele Galea

Among the prize winners was Gioele Galea, who was named the Best Emerging Writer prize. His eloquent speech focused on the importance of being honest and true in his writing. 

Joseph Pirotta, who won the Biographic and Historiographic research award for his fourth volume of Fortress Colony: The Final Act 1945-1964, explained how “it gives one a deep sense of satisfaction as it is recognition of the hard work one has put in over the years”.

Trevor Zahra

Trevor Zahra, winner of the Short Story award for his longest compilation yet, entitled 365, commented that the most important thing to him is “reaching the reader and affecting him” and described writing as “a profound and three-dimensional [experience], since it manages to penetrate the darkest corners of one’s imagination.” He remarked on moments of “grief and pain” which were especially evolutionary for him, since they elevated his life “from a child’s game to something more meaningful.”

Maria Grech Ganado

The Poetry prize was awarded to Maria Grech Ganado for her most recent collection, Framed. Her descriptions and reflections on day-to-day routines and, at times, complex relations with family and friends, also saw Ms Grech honoured as Malta’s first Poet Laureate.

The Translation award was given for Antigona to Toni Aquilina, who studied and specialised in the French language in order to translate it into Maltese. 

Toni Aquilina

Marie Briguglio and Steve Bonello won the award for Literary Non-Fiction for what  Bonello describes as their “quirky” collaboration, No Man’s Land: People, Places and Pollution.

This literary research piece, accompanied by Bonello’s sketches, takes a look at how the Maltese landscape is being taken over by buildings and high-rises, reducing the number of green spaces.

It gives one a deep sense of satisfaction as it is recognition of the hard work one has put in over the years

Bonello explained that many of our local spaces have changed so rapidly that they “hardly look Maltese or even Mediterranean”. The book recounts “three decades of environmental damage” but asserts that although most of the damage is “irreversible… there is still so much to fight for and we need to demand this with our voice and vote”.

Joseph Pirotta

The winning title in the category of Biographical and Historiographical Research went to Joseph Pirotta for Fortress Colony: The Final Act 1945-1964 Vol 4 1961-1064. The work is a “culmination of 40 years of research and writing” covering Malta’s colonial history, proving to be “an academic yet nonetheless easy read”.

The volumes document the trials, challenges and achievements that made it possible to go from being completely dependent on the British to “an emergent sovereign State” in just 20 years.

Steve Borg

Steve Borg won the award for General Research for his second volume of Il-Maltin: Għemilhom, Drawwiethom, Grajjiethom. This work describes the language, rituals and habits of the Maltese during the first half of the 20th century, a great passion of Borg’s as he explores the Maltese identity.

A further award for contribution to the Maltese literary scene was given to the Kite group for the Best Book Production in recognition of Parallel Existences, The Notarial Archives: A Photographer’s Inspiration.

The lifetime achievement award for contribution to literature went to Alfred Sant.

No publication was awarded in the Novels in Maltese and English category.

The National Book Council, founded in 2001, promotes literature throughout the Maltese islands and supports the Maltese book industry. It hosts a number of events, which also include the Malta Book Festival.

Applications for the National Book Prize (including the Terramaxka Prize) can be made until April through the National BookCouncil’s website: www.ktieb. org.mt. For more information, contact the senior manager at the National Book Council,  Simona Cassano.