July 31, 2015
The Brooklyn Eagles Literary Prize aims to recognize “the Brooklyn spirit”
by Taylor Sperry
The Brooklyn Eagles—a group of young, engaged supporters of the Brooklyn Public Library—have very wisely refrained from too clearly defining “the Brooklyn spirit” in their call for nominations for the inaugural Brooklyn Eagles Literary Prize.
The prize, which in October will be awarded to one fiction author and one non-fiction author with books published between June 1, 2014 and May 31, 2015, recognizes “the best books of the past year and the authors who most embody Brooklyn’s ideals.”
Nominations “should reflect Brooklyn’s spirit . . . through the author’s past or present residency, by speaking to themes that reflect Brooklyn’s values or portray the borough.”
The New York Times reports:
“If they have a common theme, it might be ‘struggling to make it, or make something for themselves or of themselves,’ said Ashley Mihlebach, the Eagle member overseeing the fiction prize. She admitted that this might not be a unique Brooklyn characteristic. ‘I suppose maybe it’s just New York, and right now, Brooklyn feels like the edgier, you know, more creative—God, everyone else in Manhattan is going to hate me, not to mention the other boroughs,’ she continued, floundering slightly herself.”
It’s broad at best, but the long lists nonetheless contain a terrific selection of books—not surprising, considering the nominees were selected by Brooklyn Eagles, booksellers, and librarians:
Fiction
- Yelena Akhtiorskaya, Panic in a Suitcase
- John Benditt, The Boatmaker
- Marie-Helene Bertino, 2 A.M. at the Cat’s Pajamas
- Nelson George, The Lost Treasures of R&B
- Emily Gould, Friendship
- James Hannaham, Delicious Foods
- Mira Jacob, The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing
- Eddie Joyce, Small Mercies
- Ben Lerner, 10:04
- Atticus Lish, Preparation for the Next Life
- Ariel Schrag, Adam
- Anya Ulinich, Lena Finkle’s Magic Barrel
- Stacy Wakefield-Forte, The Sunshine Crust Baking Factory
- Hanya Yanagihara, A Little Life
- Tiphanie Yanique, Land of Love and Drowning
Non-Fiction
- Kate Bolick, Spinster
- Markus Almond, Things to Shout Out Loud at Parties
- Peter Thomas Fornatale, Brooklyn Spirits
- D.W. Gibson, The Edge Becomes the Center
- Kathryn Harrison, Joan of Arc
- Tara Heibel, Rooted in Desidn
- Oriana Leckert + Jeff Stark, Brooklyn Spaces
- Brian Merlis, Brooklyn’s Historic Greenpoint
- Buddha Monk, The Dirty Version
- Claire Prentice, The Lost Tribe of Coney Island
- Kent Russell, I Am Sorry to Think I Have Raised a Timid Son
- Jason Sokol, All Eyes Are Upon Us
- Scout Tufankjian, There Is Only the Earth
- Judith Wellman, Brooklyn’s Promised Land
Two committees of librarians will narrow the pool to a short list, announced in August, and the winners will then be selected by a panel of Brooklyn authors, library professionals, and members of the Brooklyn Eagles. Each of the two prize-winners will receive $2,500.
Taylor Sperry is an editor at Melville House.