The 2018 RSL Ondaatje Prize Shortlist Celebrates “The Evocation of a Place”

The 15th annual RSL Ondaatje Prize announced its 2018 shortlist. The award is given to “a distinguished work of fiction, non-fiction, or poetry” for “best evoking the spirit of a place.” (Sidenote: is best evocation of a place’s spirit the coolest award criteria known to man or what?)

Here is this year’s shortlist (with bonus links when applicable):

• The Epic City by Kushanava Choudhury
• Once Upon a Time in the East by Xiaolu Guo
• Peculiar Ground by Lucy Hughes-Hallett (Featured in our 2018 Great Book Preview)
• Border by Kapka Kassabova
• Elmet by Fiona Mozley (The Millions‘ review)
• Mama Amazonica by Pascale Petit

The winner will be announced on May 14, 2018.