Young Writer of the Year 2021

I always find it exciting coming across new authors that have something important to say. Here I discuss 5 young writers that are shortlisted for the most recent Young Writer of the Year Award. Click ‘Show More’ for info & links.

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Books discussed & purchase links:

Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson

My Darling From the Lions by Rachel Long

Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan

Here Comes the Miracle by Anna Beecher

Islands of Abandonment by Cal Flyn

My reviews:
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson

My Darling From the Lions by Rachel Long

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Get in touch

[lizhumphreys]

Open Water is stunning. I’m definitely gong to check out that Spotify list! And I really must get around to reading Islands of Abandonment soon, especially as it has been longlisted for the Highland Book Prize, one of my favourite book prizes 😀🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[AthynVixen]

Caleb Azumah Nelson is such a good writer.. so poetic and evocative..I know a few people didn't really get on with Open Water but they really look forward to seeing what he produces in future due to his style...

[SpringboardThought]

Can’t wait to get to Open Water. Had it on hold at the library for forever and ever.

[fallingwickets]

have open water in the queue, in fact next read after i finish (finally) eighth life. look forward to hearing who wins. the islands book looks interesting. thanks!

[annegibson]

Good morning. I am reading Agatha of Little Neon by Claire Luchette. It is her debut novel. I heard about it from Greg at Supposedly Fun. I am really enjoying it.

[BobTheBookerer]

Ooh, thank you for this! This is a fun list! Delighted to see Caleb Azumah Nelson and Cal Flyn here, and very excited to check out the others!

[heathersneddon]

Read Caleb Nelson. Beautiful poetic prose. This book has also been longlisted for the Dylan Thomas award. Cal Flynn and Megan Nolan are on my tbr list

[tawnyman]

The playlist for Open Water sounds so cool, I didn’t know about it before this! It’s so great to see Open Water getting so much love. Acts of Desperation and My Darling From the Lions are on my tbr, but I hadn’t heard of the other two. A great debut I read recently was Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin, translated from the French by Aneesa Higgins.

[babettedejong]

Islands of abandonment sounds really interesting!

[marianryan]

Saving my life is Girl, Woman, Other, which I am finally reading and finding it so replenishing. I would not say it saved my life but I just finished the audio book of essays by novelist Dara Horn, with the disturbing title People Love Dead Jews, Scenes from a Haunted Present. Maybe the most intelligent essay collection I've read, powerful, deeply knowledgeable, insightful, and researched. The audio narrator is also amazing, utterly conversational in style.

[drawyourbook]

Islands of abandonment is also in the Booktube Prize and I am looking forward to it.

[paulcranswick]

Would give a shout out for a few - Fault Lines by Emily Itami, Learwife by JR Thorp and A Very of Nice Girl by Imogen Crimp

[jacquelinemcmenamin]

The one book I know about is Islands of Abandonment. It was abridged as book of the week on bbc Radio4. It’s a book I want to read in full.