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Smith, Yarros, van Tulleken and Rundell shortlisted for Waterstones Book Of The Year
Zadie Smith’s The Fraud (Hamish Hamilton), Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing (Piatkus), Chris van Tulleken’s Ultra-Processed People (Cornerstone Press) and Katherine Rundell’s Impossible Creatures (Bloomsbury Children’s Books) are included on the 14-strong shortlist for Waterstones Book Of The Year 2023.
The books have been nominated by Waterstones booksellers, who have chosen books they particularly enjoyed recommending to readers over the previous year. The shortlist features fiction, non-fiction and children’s books vying for the title.
The Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize winner, Alice Winn’s In Memoriam (Penguin), has also been shortlisted, hailed as "a truly stunning love story set against the backdrop of the First World War". R F Kuang’s "word of mouth hit" Yellowface (The Borough Press) is on the list, alongside Ann Patchett’s "gorgeous family saga" Tom Lake (Bloomsbury).
The non-fiction selection ranges from health and history to "mind-boggling puzzles". Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act (Canongate) is featured on the shortlist, praised for offering "invaluable lessons on the importance of individuality and imagination". History is also well-represented with Mary Beard’s "definitive history" Emperor of Rome (Profile) shortlisted alongside David Grann’s The Wager (Simon & Schuster UK), a "cinematic slice of forgotten history".
Rounding off the non-fiction list are Abroad in Japan (Bantam), a "thoroughly contemporary" travelogue by Chris Broad, and Murdle (Souvenir Press), G T Karber’s "utterly addictive game".
Meanwhile, shortlisted children’s titles alongside Rundell are Lou Peacock and Matt Hunt’s "glorious celebration of poetry and humour" A Whale of a Time (Nosy Crow), and the "wonderfully offbeat" How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? by Mac Barnett’s and Jon Klassen (Walker Books).
The title named Waterstones Book of the Year on Thursday 30th November will receive the "full and committed backing" of Waterstones shops and booksellers across the UK.
Bea Carvalho, head of books, said: “Our booksellers have chosen 14 stunning books for 2023’s Waterstones Book of the Year shortlist, reflecting a strong and vibrant publishing landscape which has been a true gift for bookselling this year.
"There is something here for readers of every taste: dazzling and covetable children’s books, conversation starting non-fiction, exceptional gifts and game-changing novels which will set the tone for fiction in the coming year. These are all books which beg to be pressed into the hands of others: we can’t wait to share them with readers everywhere.”
Last year, the Waterstones Book of the Year was The Story of Art without Men by Katy Hessel (Hutchinson Heinemann).
