The winners of the 2022 National Book Prize were announced last Friday during a private ceremony held at the National Museum of Arts (MUŻA) in Valletta, and attended by the Ministry for Education Permanent Secretary, Matthew Vella.
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, the National Book Council (NBC) Executive chairperson Mark Camilleri emphasised the many difficulties that publishers have been facing, while noting the encouragingly high number of submissions for the National Book Prize.
This is the first edition during which award-giving ceremony of the National Book Prize and its children and young adult Terramaxka categories are merged into one big celebration of Maltese literature published the year before. The winning books, but also the shortlisted books (which all deserve a mention for their high quality as stated but the independent adjudication board) will be available for sale at the Malta Book Festival and their author celebrated. The Book Prize and the Festival will both tap into the Christmas sales. Camilleri ended his speech by mentioning some of achievements in 2022, such as the collaboration with different entities, and a substantial increase in the number of authors enrolled in the Public Lending Rights scheme.
Winning titles selected by independent adjudication panels
The winning titles have been selected by independent adjudication panels from a shortlist of 63 titles, published in the preceding year, across 14 competitive categories: 43 books in the eight categories for adults and 20 in the six for children and young adults (Premju Terramaxka).
Special prizes, as per to this year’s Prize regulations, were also bestowed. The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred to Professor Henry Frendo for his invaluable contribution to Maltese historiography. The award for Best Emergent Author was given to author and visual artist Matthew Schembri, who penned Stessi (2018) and Ħassartek (2021). Nadia Mifsud won the Poet Laureate Prize, having already won in the poetry category in 2016 with the book Kantuniera ’l Bogħod.
In his video message, Hon. Grima noted the prestige and cultural national value of the National Book Prize, which recognises the invaluable work of all actors in the Maltese publishing industry, and of talented Maltese authors and publishers. While thanking all industry’s stakeholders who resiliently keep on working notwithstanding the difficulties, Hon. Grima congratulated all finalists, and in particular the winners.
.The National Book Council would like to thank the members of the adjudication board of the 2022 National Book Prize and Terramaxka: Kristy Borg, Nicole Bugeja, Giuliana Fenech, Mario Ellul, Rachel Baldacchino, Carmel Borg, Maria Theuma, Robert Pisani and Caldon Mercieca. Special thanks goes to Margaret Callus from Malta Libraries for the classification of the submitted books in their respective category.
The winners
NOVELS: TYRONE GRIMA – FRAMMENTI
SHORT STORIES: ĠORĠ MALLIA (ed.) – IL-ĦAMSIN: 24 AWTUR, 24 STORJA, IN-NUMRU 50
POETRY: NADIA MIFSUD – VARJAZZJONIJIET TAS-SKIET
DRAMA: ALFRED BUTTIGIEG – L-INTERROGAZZJONI
TRANSLATIONS: MARY ROSE MIFSUD – ANNE FRANK: ID-DJARJU TA’ TFAJLA EDIZZJONI DEFINITTIVA
LITERARY NONFICTION: ALFRED SANT – Confessions of a European Maltese: The Middle Years, 1975-1992
GENERAL RESEARCH: CONRAD THAKE – Art Nouveau To Modernism: Architecture in Malta 1910-1950
BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORIOGRAPHIC RESEARCH: JESSICA MUSCAT – The Darmanin Artists: Decorative Marble Production for the British Empire
BEST BOOK PRODUCTION: KITE GROUP – The Darmanin Artists: Decorative Marble Production for the British Empire
BEST EMERGENT AUTHOR: MATTHEW SCHEMBRI
POET LAUREATE: NADIA MIFSUD
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: HENRY FRENDO
Terramaxka Prize for Children and Young Adults
Original Works for Children ages 0–7: Aunty Sab, Emma Galea Naudi (ill.) - Ride the Feeling
Original Works for Children ages 8-12: Maria Borg Cremona, Carmel Busuttil, Matt Stroud (ill.) - Vjaġġ bil-Ballun
Young adult literature: Clare Azzopardi, Naomi Gatt (ill.) - #noħlomlixidarba
Translation for Children ages 0–7: Clare Azzopardi - Mustaċċi Jivvintahom
Translation for Children ages 8-12: Noel Tanti - Vrumm! L-Istorja tal-Karozzi
Young adult literature in translation: Dwayne Ellul - Sherlock, Lupin u Jien: Il-Misteru tal-Warda Ħamra
BEST BOOK PRODUCTION: Merlin Publishers - Mila u l-Iljun ir-Rieqed