My Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction 2016 Wishlist

When Naomi (The Writes of Woman) Frisby asked if I’d like to be on this year’s shadow reading panel for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction, I fell over myself to say yes. Then I sat down to think about which books would be on my wish list. I have a very bad memory and, for one horrible moment, it felt as though I’d read nothing all year. NOTHING. Until I remembered how much of the year I’d spent reading, instead of writing my next novel and feeding my children. I can’t blame the lack of housework on reading. I don’t ever really do housework.

I’ve read some brilliant books which don’t fit the rules (which specify they should be novels, written by a woman, in English, published between April 2015 and March 2016). I’ve not read a number of books that I’m fairly sure will be on the official longlist (due to be announced next week). What to do? Choose books I liked but which probably weren’t in contention? Books that would make me appear smart? If I buried my head in a suitable reading list before the longlist time, should I choose books that the publishers had clearly lined up as candidates? Or books that I just wanted to read because I’d heard other readers raving about them?

I canvassed some opinions among various reading/writing/blogging groups on Facebook. I visited some of the review blogs I particularly trust (among others, Isabel Costello’s Literary Sofa and Susan Osborne’s A Life In Books). I went back through my year’s reading history. I talked to friends. I got a pile of books out from the library.

This is where I’ve ended up:

 

What’s on your list? I’d love to hear!