Faber has three on £25k Walter Scott Prize shortlist

Faber has three books shortlisted for the £25,000 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction.

They are Costa Prize-winning novelist Sebastian Barry for Days Without End, Charlotte Hobson’s The Vanishing Futurist and Francis Spufford’s Golden Hill.

The other four shortlisted titles are Graham Swift’s Mothering Sunday (Scribner), Rose Tremain’s The Gustav Sonata (Chatto & Windus), Jo Baker’s A Country Road, A Tree  (Doubleday) and Hannah Kent’s The Good People (Picador Australia).

The shortlist in longer than in previous years because the introduction of three new judges to the panel lead to “fresh perspectives and lively debate”. The judging panel now comprises Alistair Moffat (chair), Elizabeth Buccleuch, Kate Figes, Katharine Grant, James Holloway, Elizabeth Laird, and James Naughtie.  

“Our shortlist was achieved by the judges' instinctive reaction to each book. The seven shortlisted novels, a mix of old hands and new voices, offer readers joy in the discovery of unusual subjects and times; appreciation of historical research and insight worn lightly and applied skilfully; and, perhaps most important of all, that visceral connection to the characters which is the prerequisite of every novel, whether historical or not,” the judges said. “These seven wonderful books encapsulate moments in history in truly unforgettable ways, making the 2017 Walter Scott prize shortlist one to savour.”

The Walter Scott Prize, founded in 2009 by its patrons the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, is the largest annual fiction prize to be judged outside London, and honours the legacy and achievements of Sir Walter Scott, described by the prize organisers as the “founder of the historical novel”.  

The winner receives £25,000, and shortlisted authors each receive £1,000.  Shortlisted authors are invited to attend the award ceremony and Prize events at the Borders Book Festival on 17th June, when the winner will be announced.