The National Book Council is announcing the shortlist for the 2022 National Book Prize and Terramaxka Prize, for books published in 2021.
The National Book Prize is the highest literary prize assigned to authors, editors, translators, publishers and illustrators, and serves as guide to standout books published in Malta during the preceding year. The shortlist has been selected by an independent adjudication board appointed annually by the National Book Council according to a set of established criteria.
The 2022 shortlist includes 63 titles selected out of 199 longlisted and eligible works received by 28 March 2022; 43 books have been shortlisted across the eight National Book Prize categories, and 20 books for children and young adults have been shortlisted in the six Terramaxka Prize categories. The categories of the National Book Prize for adults are Novels, Short Stories, Poetry, Drama, Literary Non-Fiction, Translation, General Research, and Biographical and Historiographic Research. The categories in the Terramaxka Prize are Original Works for Children ages 0–7, 8–12 and Young Adult Literature, books in Translation for Children ages 0–7 and 8–12, and Young Adult Literature in Translation.
Most shortlisted books will undoubtedly resonate with current affairs and debates, not least in the Novels category where the spectre of war in Europe hangs over titles by Lou Drofenik, Toni Sant, and Aleks Farrugia. The popularity of the short story among writers and readers of fiction is once again reflected in this year’s extensive shortlist, as is the rising number of translations of world literature into Maltese. Non-fiction is similarly well represented and consistent with trends observed over the past editions, while the categories for General Research, and Biographical and Historiographic Research feature a wide-ranging shortlist of accomplished titles covering a significant number of Melitensia subjects, urbanism, art-history and beyond.
The adjudication process for the 2022 National Book Prize was launched in May 2022 with the publication of the longlist. The winners in each category of the National Book Prize and the Terramaxka Prize will be selected in the coming months and will be announced during an award-giving ceremony on 4 November 2022.
All of the National Book Prize shortlisted books are available in local bookstores and online shops, and will be sold at the upcoming 2022 Malta Book Festival (23–27 November 2022) held at the Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre (MFCC), Ta’ Qali.
For further 2022 National Book Prize news and all other National Book Council initiatives, follow us on Facebook or visit ktieb.org.mt.
2022 National Book Prize: Books published in 2021
Novels in Maltese and English
- Camerata!- Aleks Farrugia SKS Publishers
- Big Oak on Little Mountain -Lou Drofenik -Horizons
- Varjetà: L-Istorja Kważi Vera tal-Kumpanija Stage Commandos - Toni Sant - Klabb Kotba Maltin
- Frammenti -Tyrone Grima -Merlin Publishers
Short stories in Maltese and English
- Ċelel bla Ħitan - Stephen Lughermo -Horizons
- Talb għax-Xita -Alex Mizzi -Klabb Kotba Maltin
- Disgħin Minuta- Charles Casha -Klabb Kotba Maltin
- Minn taħt l-Ilsien -Rita Saliba -Klabb Kotba Maltin
- Il-Ħamsin : 24 Awtur, 24 Storja, in-numru 50 -Ġorġ Mallia (ed.)-Klabb Kotba Maltin
- Il-Parabboli tal-Imġienen -Keith Borg -Merlin Publishers
- Żifna f'Xifer Irdum -Nadia Mifsud -Merlin Publishers
- Tad-Demm u l-Laħam -Steve Borg - Klabb Kotba Maltin
Poetry in Maltese and English
- Varjazzjonijiet tas-Skiet- Nadia Mifsud- Ede Books
- Insa li Mhijiex Hawn- Norbert Bugeja -Klabb Kotba Maltin
- Ħassartek -Matthew Schembri -Matthew Schembri
- Cain Richard England -Kite Group
Drama in Maltese and English
- Getting in the Way- Vincent Vella- Horizons
- L-Interrogazzjoni -Alfred Buttigieg -Teatru Malta
Translation
- Id-Divina Commedia (Dante Alighieri )- Alfred PalmaKlabb- Kotba Maltin
- In-Nisa Ferrieħa ta' Windsor (William Shakespeare) -Alfred Palma -Alfred Palma
- Kwarantina (Jim Crace) -Charles Flores -Horizons
- Damasku Tiegħi (Suad Amiry) -Jean Paul Borg -Klabb Kotba Maltin
- Il-Patt il-Ġdid -Paul Mizzi -Dar tal-Pubblikazzjoni Qum
- Kunċert b'Tifkira ta' Anġlu (Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt) -Claudine Borg -Faraxa Publishing
- Anne Frank: Id-Djarju ta’ Tfajla Edizzjoni Definittiva (Anne Frank)Mary Rose Mifsud -Faraxa Publishing
- Vespers (Trevor Żahra) -Clare Vassallo -Merlin Publishers
- Fratelli Tutti (Papa Franġisku) -Francesco Pio Attard -Reliġjon u Ħajja
Literary non-Fiction
- Confessions of a European Maltese: The Middle Years, 1975-1992 Alfred Sant SKS Publishers
- Memories from the Front Line: Five Decades of Service to the Country (1965-2005) Joseph R. Grima Midsea Books
General Research
- Cities, Harbours and Artefacts: Transformations of an Early Modern Landscape. Proceedings of the Public Lecture Series 2018-2019 Urban Landscapes held at the National Library of Malta, Valletta Maroma Camilleri, Mevrick Spiteri (eds.) Malta Libraries
- Josef Kalleya and Dante: A Child's Tormented Soul in Paradise Vol. 1 Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci Horizons
- Josef Kalleya and Dante: A Child's Tormented Soul in Paradise Vol. 2 Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci Horizons
- International Perspectives on the Decorative Arts: Nineteenth-Century Malta Mark Sagona Midsea Books
- Art Nouveau To Modernism : Architecture in Malta 1910-1950 Conrad Thake Kite Group
- Dinner in Malta in a Series of Vignettes 1530-1930 Matty Cremona Midsea Books
- The Houses of Baroque Valletta 1650-1750. Property Redevelopment from Records of the Officio delle Case: Socio-economic Reflections on Civil Buildings Mevrick Spiteri Midsea Books
- Roman Architecture in Malta David Cardona Heritage Malta Publishing
- Working Life and the Transformation of Malta 1960-2020 Manwel Debono, Godfrey Baldacchino (eds.) Malta University Press
- Il-Ktieb ta' San Ġużepp : Ġabra ta' Studji Andrew Borg Deer Publications
Biographical and Historiographic Research
- Among Others. The Maltese in Egypt: Life, Crime and Death (1860s-1923) Michael Refalo Kite Group
- The Tail That Wagged the Dog: The Life and Struggles of Dom Mintoff 1916-2012 Mark Montebello SKS Publications
- The Darmanin Artists: Decorative Marble Production for the British Empire Jessica Muscat Kite Group
- Churchill, Malta and Gibraltar Victor Aquilina Kite Group
Terramaxka Prize 2022: Books published in 2021
Books for children (ages 0-7)
- Inpinġi bl-Imqas ma' Henri Matisse Doris Schembri, Elaine R.C. Saliba (ill.) Faraxa Publishing
- Ride the Feeling Sabrina Mulligan, Emma Galea Naudi (ill.) Merlin Publishers
Books for children (ages 8-12)
- Ruby u l-Kaxxa bil-Buttuni Audrey Friggieri, Marisa Attard (ill.) Horizons
- Il-Pupa tax-Xelter Claudia Aloisio, Greta Borg Carbott (ill.) Klabb Kotba Maltin
- Paramm Paramm: Ktieb għall-Bravi u l-Imqarbin Immanuel Mifsud, Maja Veselinović (ill.) Klabb Kotba Maltin
- X'se Jagħmel Joe? Dunstan Hamilton Anzjanita' Attiva u Kura fil-Komunita'
- Vjaġġ bil-Ballun Maria Borg Cremona, Carmel Busuttil, Matt Stroud (ill.) Horizons
- In-Nanna Se u l-Brimba Sultana Kenneth Gauci, Amy Sultana (ill.) BDL Publishing
- Il-Fatat Kaħlani Clare Azzopardi, Leanne Ellul, Romont Willy (ill.) Merlin Publishers
- Mila u l-Iljun ir-Rieqed Leanne Ellul, Stephanie Bugeja, Alice Samuel (ill.) Merlin Publishers
Young Adult Literature
- Noti Blu Jacqueline Mizzi Horizons
- #noħlomlixidarba Clare Azzopardi, Naomi Gatt (ill.) Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta (SEM)
- Irvin Vella: Il-Każ tat-Tfajla Maħtufa John A. Bonello, Francesca Grech (ill.) Merlin Publishers
Books translated into Maltese (ages 0-7)
- Kelb Jismu Wuff (Clare Smedley, Romont Willy ill.) Claudia Gauci Merlin Publishers
- Mustaċċi Jivvintahom (Armelle Renoult, Mélanie Grandgirard ill.) Clare Azzopardi Merlin Publishers
- Akiko: Qattus Unikornu b'Missjoni (Béatrice Ruffié, Ophélie Ortal ill.) Clare Azzopardi Merlin Publishers
- Kapt'n Fsied u l-Kaxxa tal-Ikel (Julien Hervieux, Luke Séguin-Magee ill.) Clare Azzopardi Merlin Publishers
Books translated into Maltese (ages 8-12)
- Vrumm! L-Istorja tal-Karozzi (Michał Leśniewski, Maciej Szymanowicz ill.) Noel Tanti Merlin Publishers
- Alice fl-Art tal-Għeġubijiet (Lewis Carol, Carlo Scataglini) Clare Azzopardi, Leanne Ellul Merlin Publishers
Young Adult Literature in Maltese Translation
- Sherlock, Lupin u Jien: Il-Misteru tal-Warda Ħamra (Irene Adler, Iacopo Bruno ill.) Dwayne Ellul Merlin Publishers
