What I Learned Reading an Awards Longlist for the First Time

I’ve by no means paid a lot consideration to literary awards. I’m not the sort of reader who eagerly anticipates the Booker longlist announcement or stays up late watching awards ceremonies. Until just lately, when I began spending extra time on Bookstagram, it was uncommon that I even knew what books had received which awards. Literary awards, so far as I’m involved, are pretty arbitrary. They don’t excite me.

I do, nevertheless, love a studying challenge. There’s an lively neighborhood of readers on Bookstagram who learn numerous awards longlists and shortlists yearly, and I’ve all the time been intrigued by them. It’s onerous to withstand a guidelines! I’ve been pondering giving it a go for some time, so I paid extra consideration than common to awards this 12 months. I thought of studying just a few completely different longlists — the Booker Prize, the International Booker Prize, the Scotiabank Giller Prize, the Women’s Prize for Fiction. But when the longlists for these prizes had been introduced, there was all the time at the very least one ebook I had no real interest in. I’m all for studying exterior my consolation zone, and sure, I love a guidelines, however gone are the days when I power myself to learn one thing as a result of I suppose I ought to. I thought of studying a longlist-minus-one, however I’m a completist, and that doesn’t have the similar enchantment. So I informed myself that if I ever encountered an awards longlist that contained solely books I was genuinely keen on, I would learn it.

Enter the 2022 National Book Award longlist for fiction. I was instantly drawn to this checklist as a result of it included two of my favourite books of the 12 months: All This Could Be Different and The Town of Babylon. I hadn’t heard of most of the others, however, after wanting all of them up, I was delighted (and, let’s be trustworthy, slightly shocked) to understand that sure, all of them sounded attention-grabbing. Yes, I was genuinely excited to learn all eight of the books I hadn’t learn. I was going to do it! I put all of them on maintain at the library. I posted about it on Bookstagram. I was prepared to find extra brilliance on par with All This Could Be Different and The Town of Babylon! This checklist was going to be my checklist, child!

It didn’t go that manner. I learn all ten books, sure. Of the eight I hadn’t learn, I liked three of them. The different 5? Meh. They had been effective. They weren’t for me. If I hadn’t dedicated to the challenge, I would have DNFed them. What’s extra: I knew after about 30 pages that they weren’t going to do it for me. I saved going — I was ready to be stunned! — however I was not stunned. Conversely, concerning these three books I liked: I liked them instantly. I knew, from the first story in The Haunting of Hajji Hotak, that it was going to be a finest ebook of the 12 months for me. I learn If I Survive You in a day as a result of I didn’t wish to put it down. I’d already been enthusiastic about When We Were Sisters, nevertheless it exceeded all my expectations.

Let me be clear: I am not criticizing any of the books on this longlist. There’s nothing improper with criticizing books, however a) it’s not one thing I take pleasure in and b) my opinion is my opinion and it’s not goal and even particularly helpful to anybody else. Not each ebook goes to land with each particular person. There are individuals who didn’t love All This Could Be Different, and I don’t perceive it, nevertheless it’s effective! I’m not offended. We are all distinctive and artwork hits us all otherwise, that’s the level. Unless a ebook is perpetuating racism/transphobia/and so forth., there’s room for all types.

I went into the challenge with an open thoughts, prepared to find new books. I did, in reality, uncover new books. I additionally found that I know what I like. And this, it seems, is the largest present the challenge gave me. The ethical of this story, for me, is to not keep inside your consolation zone, to by no means discover new genres, to by no means give books you’re not sure of an opportunity, to by no means problem your self. These are all issues I do, and gladly. No: what I realized from this challenge is that it’s potential to do all of these issues and nonetheless, at the similar time, belief your instincts.

I might always remember the place I was when I learn the first story in Jamil Jan Kochai’s masterful assortment The Haunting of Hajji Hotak. I was mendacity in mattress, and it was previous my bedtime, however I determined to learn the first story anyway. Then I simply walked round my home in circles for some time, pondering, feeling, as a result of wow is that story a banger. I by no means would have learn this ebook if not for the NBA longlist. It wasn’t on my radar. I don’t sometimes decide up non-queer books today, except they arrive extremely really useful. I like brief story collections, however I don’t gravitate towards them. But studying Hotak jogged my memory how unbelievable it feels to find and fall in love with an sudden ebook.

I won’t ever be studying one other awards longlist. I nonetheless suppose literary awards are arbitrary, and this expertise solely confirmed that perception for me. I ended up studying a bunch of books that weren’t for me due to a foolish purpose I set for myself, and who has time for that? But I don’t remorse it as a result of right here’s what I will completely be doing extra of: choosing up books that intrigue me however fall exterior my go-to genres. Picking up books by debut authors I’ve by no means heard of as a result of they’re longlisted for an award, and positive, that synopsis sounds fascinating. Picking up books there’s an opportunity I’ll like even when the construction/theme/plot isn’t one thing I’d usually be enthusiastic about. I will preserve doing this perpetually, and I know I’ll uncover many fantastic books due to it. But if a ebook I decide up isn’t working for me—

My fellow readers, DNFing is an act of affection. That ebook wasn’t meant for you. Pass it on.