Yesterday
the American Bar Association Journal and the University of Alabama Law School
announced the shortlist for the 2014 Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction.
The
finalists are:
1.) Ronald H. Balson for Once We Were Brothers;
2.) John Grisham for Sycamore
Row; and,
3.) Elizabeth Strout for The
Burgess Boys.
For
what seems like the first time this year I have read a book on the shortlist
for a major crime fiction prize. I read Sycamore
Road at the beginning of the year. I consider it excellent legal fiction.
I
have not read any books by either Balson or Strout.
Information
on the books can be found on the ABA Journal announcing the shortlist at http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/2014_harper_lee_voting.
As with previous years readers of the Journal can help pick the winner by
voting online at the Journal. The public, through the book attracting the most votes,
effectively becomes a 6th selector whose vote is recognized as an
equal vote to each of the selection committee members.
The
members of the selection committee this year are sports
columnist, ESPN panelist and University of Maryland professor, Kevin
Blackistone; New York Times bestselling author, Fannie Flagg; partner at
Kornstein, Veisz, Wexler & Pollard and former Harper Lee panelist, Dan
Kornstein; journalist, lawyer and Supreme Court correspondent for the New
York Times, Adam Liptak; and journalist, author and former Harper Lee
panelist, Marianne Szegedy-Maszak.
The
previous winners are Grisham, Michael Connelly and Paul Goldstein.
Strout
becomes the first woman author to be on a shortlist for the Prize.
I
read all the books on last year’s shortlist and agree that Goldstein’s book, Havana Requiem, was the best of the
trio. I hope to read Once We Were
Brothers and The Burgess Boys
before the winning book is announced.
The
Prize will be presented on August 28 in Washington as a part of the Library of
Congress National Book Festival.
Interesting list. Thanks for sharing Bill. Have heard good things about Sycamore Row, though I'm not a rabid John Grisham fan (loved BLEACHERS, a non-legal thriller of his), even as an ex-lawyer myself. I can't wait for the next John Hart novel - he's my favourite lawyer-turned writer.
ReplyDeleteCraig: Thanks for the comment. Grisham is not always predictable in quality but Sycamore Row back in his native Mississippi is an exceptional book. I have only read one of Hart's books. I am going to have to look for more of them.
DeleteConcur on the Grisham, couldn't put it down, good in all ways. Educational even, but written to appeal to a mass audience.
ReplyDeleteKeep meaning to read Strout's book but haven't had time, and never heard of Balson's.
Kathy D.: I also found myself irresistibly drawn along once I started Sycamore Row.
DeleteBill - Thanks for this announcement. It'll be very interesting to see who wins this year.
ReplyDeleteMargot: Thanks for the comment. I wonder if the trend will continue of a different author from the previous winners being this year's winner.
DeleteBill, I plan to read "Sycamore Row" in the very near future as part of my aim to read more contemporary fiction than I did in the past.
ReplyDeletePrashant: I think you will be glad you read Sycamore Row and I look forward to your review.
DeleteThanks for sharing this list. I want to read The Burgess Boys.
ReplyDeletehttp://cleopatralovesbooks.wordpress.com
Cleo: Thanks for the comment.
Delete