First Book Shortlist Throws Up Winning Titles

The five finalists for the Guardian First Book Award (which covers fiction, non-fiction and poetry published in the UK) have been announced. The prize is unique in that it involves readers' groups in the judging process, which seems to me a very sensible idea. The shortlist is described as :

... ambitious, varied and incredibly individual ...

and indeed contains some very interesting reads.

The two non fiction titles are :

The Rest Is Noise by Alex Ross

a history of C20th music. (Read the review from the New York Times and check out the author's fascinating website. I have to buy this book!!)

Stalin's Children by Owen Matthews

which is described as a novelistic memoir of a Soviet-era romance. (The Independent review is here.)

The fiction titles are :

God's Own Country by Ross Raisin

a dark novel of obsession and violence set in Yorkshire. (There's an interesting interview with Ross on the Yorkshire Post website.)

A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz

which was also shortlisted for the Booker, and is described as :

... a rumbustious, funny page-turner.

And

A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif.

Described as :

... witty, clever and a pleasure to read.

(You can read an extract here.)