The Strays is a 2014 novel by the Australian author Emily Bitto.[1] It won the 2015 Stella Prize.[2]
| Author | Emily Bitto |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Novel |
| Publisher | Affirm Press |
Publication date | 1 May 2014 |
| Publication place | Australia |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 290 pp. |
| Awards | 2015 Stella Prize winner |
| ISBN | 9781922213211 |
Synopsis
editIn her old age Art History lecturer Lily recalls her childhood in 1930s Melbourne when she had a friendship with Eva Trentham, daughter of the famous artists Evan and Helena Trentham.
Critical reception
editJames Tierney reviewed the novel for the Australian Book Review and noted that "Bitto has a deep interest in the transformative power of memory, in how life’s chaos is shaped into story."[3]
Writing for the Text journal Ruby Todd called the book "elegant", noting that she has created a "resonant novel".[4]
Publishing history
editAfter the novel's initial publication in Australia in 2014 by Affirm Press[1] it was reprinted as follows:
- Affirm Press, Australia, 2015[5]
- Legend Press, UK, 2016[5]
- Twelve, 2018, USA[5]
- Affirm Press, Australia, 2021[6]
Awards
edit- 2013 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards — Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript by an Emerging Victorian Writer, shortlisted[7]
- 2015 Stella Prize, winner[2]
- 2015 Indie Book Awards Book of the Year – Debut Fiction, shortlisted[8]
- 2015 Nita Kibble Literary Awards — Dobbie Award, shortlisted[7]
- 2015 New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards — UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing, shortlisted[7]
- 2016 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, longlisted[7]
Notes
editThe author was interviewed by The Guardian newspaper after the novel was shortlisted for the Stella Prize.[9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "The Strays by Emily Bitto (Affirm 2014)". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ a b ""The Stella Prize — 2015"". The Stella prize. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ ""The Strays by Emily Bitto"". Australian Book Review, May 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ ""Speak, memory review by Ruby Todd"". Text Journal, October 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ a b c "Austlit — The Strays by Emily Bitto". Austlit. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ "The Strays by Emily Bitto (Affirm 2021)". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Austlit — The Strays by Emily Bitto — Awards". Austlit. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ ""Indie Book Awards 2015 shortlists announced"". Books+Publishing. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ ""Stella prize 2015: the shortlisted authors on the stories behind their books"". The Guradian, 16 April 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2024.