The Scribbler

Some of the nominees in the running for the Costa Book Awards 2008 (picture by The Guardian)

The shortlist for the 2008 Costa Book Awards has been announced. The prestigious award attracted 616 entries this year, which have been narrowed down to four books in five categories.

Judges on this year’s panels (three judges per category) include author Lisa Jewell, actress and writer Pauline McLynn, journalist, writer and broadcaster Michael Burke, poet and broadcaster Roger McGough CBE; and writer Victoria Hislop. The final judging panel will be announced in mid-December.

The winner of each category will be announced on the 6 January 2009 with the overall winner of the 2008 Costa Book Award announced on 27 January at a lavish awards ceremony in London.

The shortlisted books are:

Costa First Novel Award:

• The Behaviour of Moths by Poppy Adams
• The Outcast by Sadie Jones
• Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
• Inside the Whale by Jennie Rooney

Costa Children’s Book Award:

• Ostrich Boys by Keith Gray
• The Carbon Diaries by Saci Lloyd
• Just Henry by Michelle Magorian
• Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine

Costa Biography Award:

• Somewhere Towards the End by Diana Athill
• Bloomsbury Ballerina by Judith Mackrell
• If You Don’t Know Me By Now: A Memoir of Love, Secrets and Lies in Wolverhampton by Sathnam Sanghera
• Chagall by Jackie Wullschlager

Costa Novel Award:

• The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry
• The Other Hand by Chris Cleave
• A Partisan’s Daughter by Louis de Bernieres
• Trauma by Patrick McGrath

Costa Poetry Award:

• For All We Know by Ciaran Carson
• The Broken Word by Adam Foulds
• Sunday at the Skin Launderette by Kathryn Simmonds
• Salvation Jane by Greta Stoddart

Have a look at the award video for the winner of last year’s accolade, A.L. Kennedy, by clicking below:

Discussion:
So what do you think of the shortlists?  Are there any omissions you’re particularly surprised about? Has anyone read any of the listed books? What did you think?

Words: Seamus Swords