The has just announced the shortlist for the 2021 National Book Prize and Terramaxka Prize.
This shortlist is selected by an independent adjudication board and serves as guide to standout books published in Malta during the previous year.
The National Book Prize recognises works of literature and research in a number of categories including Novels, Literary non-fiction, Translations and Poetry and Short Story collections, the latter of which this year presents a particularly noteworthy set of titles by well-established authors.
The 2021 shortlist includes 62 titles out of 154 longlisted works, some of which are written by members of the University of Malta Community.
The adjudication process was first launched in May 2021 with the publication of the National Book Prize longlist - the shortlist was delivered to the NBC by the adjudication board on 26 July.
Winners in each category will be announced during the official opening of the 2021 Malta Book Festival.
Mr Kenneth Caruana, an Assistant Librarian, is nominated for his book ‘Tlettax’ in the Novels in Maltese category.
In the Short Stories category, Prof. Joe Friggieri from the Department of Philosophy is nominated for his publication, ‘Widnet il-Baħar u Stejjer Oħra’.
In the Poetry in Maltese and English Category, JC lecturer Ms Leanne Ellul is nominated for her book ‘L-Inventarju tal-Kamra Tagħha’.
In the Translation category, Prof. Anthony Aquilina is nominated for his translation of Il-Waqgħa, by Albert Camus, whereas Dr Terence Portelli from the Department of Language and Humanities is nominated for ‘Siġar’, originally penned by Hermann Hesse.
Prof. Immanuel Mifsud is nominated in the Literary non-Fiction Category for ‘Jien – Noti – Jien: Ħsejjes u Stejjer’, whereas Prof. Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci is nominated twice in the General Research Category for ‘APS Mdina Cathedral Contemporary Art Biennale 2020 – Regaining a Paradise Lost: The Role of the Arts’, and ‘The Beheading of Ignez: Katabasis, Ezra Pound and Three Maltese Artists’. In the same category, Prof. George Cassar and Dr Marie Avellino from ITTC are nominated for ‘Tourism and the Maltese Islands: Observations, Reflections and Proposals’, Prof. Antoinette Camilleri Grima from the Department of Languages and Humanities Education is nominated for ‘Bil-Kelma t-Tajba: Prinċipji u Kreattività fil Pedagoġija tal-Lingwa’, Dr George Farrugia from the Department of Maltese was nominated for ‘Is-Sessiżmu fil-Lingwa Maltija’, and Dr John Alfred Consiglio was nominated for ‘L-Ekonomija f'Ilsien ix-Xjenza u l-Filosofija’.
UM members also dominated the Biographical and Historiographic Research Category, with Prof. Charles Briffa nominated for ‘Dellijiet Jgħajtu fir-Ras: Mario Azzopardi: Poeżija, Narrattiva u Kummiedja Soċjali’, and ‘Ruħu Dejjem Tfittex: Charles Casha: Mgħallem Għalliel’, Prof. Arnold Cassola nominated for ‘Maltese Migration in Tunisian Coastal Towns (1836-1844)’, Prof. Keith Sciberras is nominated for ‘Mattia Preti: Life and Works’ and Dr Conrad Thake nominated for ‘The Addolorata Cemetery’.
Finalists for the Terramaxka Prize include the book authored by Ms Audrey Friggieri from the Faculty for Social Wellbeing, called ‘Enya l-Aljena … Reġina b’Kumbinazzjoni!’, and a book written by retired academic, Prof. Charles Casha, ‘L-Għasfur tal-Kwiekeb’, as well as ‘Pito u Pita’, written by Dr Daniella Zerafa from the Department of Social Policy and Social Work.
