The Women’s Prize for Fiction is the UK’s most prestigious annual book award celebrating & honoring women’s fiction. Founded in 1996, the Prize was set up to celebrate originality, accessibility, and excellence in writing by women and to connect world-class writers with readers everywhere.

On March 4, the 2019 judging panel whittled down 163 entries to a longlist of sixteen, which span both new and well-established writers and a range of genres, including seven debut novels. Professor Kate Williams, Chair of Judges, described the list as "sixteen incredible books by a diverse group of women, from the UK and countries across the world... exploring the lives of women and men in so many different but utterly compelling ways."

The shortlist will be announced on April 29, and the winner on June 5, which leaves some time (but not much!) to make your way through the titles that we have in our catalog!

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

Remembered by Yvonne Battle-Felton

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

The Pisces by Melissa Broder

Milkman by Anna Burns

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

Ordinary People by Diana Evans

Swan Song by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li

Bottled Goods by Sophie van Llewyn

Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli

Praise Song for the Butterflies by Bernice L. McFadden

Circe by Madeline Miller

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss

Normal People by Sally Rooney