The Polari Prize is the UK’s only LGBTQ+ book prize. This year, I was delighted to be contacted to be offered books from the shortlist to review. There is a childrens and YA category as well as a first book prize along with the main prize. Founded in 2011, this year is the award’s eleventh year. Founded by author and activist Paul Burston, the awards celebrate LGBTQ+ books, fiction and non-fiction. This year, the awards took place at the British Library on the 15th November.
And the winner is …
The winners of the 2022 Polari Prize book awards for queer literature have been announced at a fabulous event at the British Library.
I said in my reviews of the books, that all the shortlisted books had the feeling of being hopeful and optimistic about queer futures. And it seems that the judges were looking for that in their final choices.
- Children’s and YA Prize: Nen and the Lonely Fisherman, by Ian Eagleton and James Mayhew, published by Owlet Press
- First Book Prize: Deep Sniff, by Adam Zmith, published by Repeater Books
- Polari Book Prize: C+nto & Othered Poems, by Joelle Taylor, published by Westbourne Press
Nen and the Lonely Fisherman
Ian Eagleton and James Mayhew’s beautiful picture book won the inaugural children’s and YA book prize. Merman Nen ventures to the world above and meets Ernest, a lonely fisherman in a retelling of The Little Mermaid.
The story is innovative and moving, and the artwork truly stunning.
Jodie Lancet-Grant, judge
Click here to buy Nen and the Lonely Fisherman on Amazon.
Deep Sniff
I said in my review that Adam Zmith’s writing was so effortless and easy it’s hard not to want to read this tale. Adam’s acceptance speech, after a hit of the very subject of the book, poppers, was fun, witty and raw.
Witty, well researched and ground breaking book which honours our queer past while also looking to the future.
Paul Burston, founder of the Polari Prize
Click here to buy Deep Sniff on Amazon.
C+nto & Othered Poems
Joelle Taylor’s collection of poems reflects her amazing personality so well. In the briefest of encounters at the awards night, it was abundantly clear where the strong voice of the poetry comes from.
The poems comes from a place of protest and queer London life; a statement of butch lesbian life.
Taylor has a “Midas touch with words”
Diana Souhami, who won the 2021 prize and was a judge this year
Click here to buy C+nto from Amazon.
Celebrating queer books
It was a wonderful evening, celebrating some fabulous queer books. All the books shortlisted deserved their place and it must have been very difficult for the judges to choose the winners of the 2022 Polari Prize book awards.
I’m very grateful to the Polari Prize for sending me copies of the shortlisted books and it has been wonderful to read, review and support these amazing awards.
Nick (he/him) is an experienced professional editor and proofreader, specialising in LGBTQ+ writing.
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