ANNOUNCEMENT: Stephen Orr Long-Listed for the DUBLIN Literary Award
We're thrilled to announce some exciting news from across the seas this week, as the long-list for the 2021 DUBLIN Literary Award is released. Amongst a host of stellar books sits our very own Stephen Orr and his marvellous This Excellent Machine. Read on to find out what the judges are saying ...
Now in its 26th year, the 2021 DUBLIN Literary Award, sponsored by Dublin City Council, is the world’s most valuable annual prize for a single work of fiction published in English. Books are nominated by libraries from across the world, rather than by publishers. The winner will be announced by Patron of the Award, Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu (right), on Thursday 20 May 2021.
The DUBLIN Literary Award is managed by Dublin City Council’s library service. This year, 49 books have been long-listed, compared to last year's 156 books. It's a competitive list to be on, and a real feather in Stephen Orr's cap.
'Books and reading have sustained the human spirit during this, the Covid-19 pandemic. We escaped with our favourite authors to distant lands, we explored new cultures and we learnt new skills. Librarians are privileged to work in such a rewarding environment.'
– Mairead Owens, Dublin City Librarian
This Excellent Machine was nominated by the State Library of South Australia, who say that the book should be on your 'must-read' list:
'Who knew the north east suburbs of Adelaide were so interesting. The author has constructed a street full of interesting people, but not over the top interesting, which makes the story so real. Some of the characters are more interesting than others, some are hoarders, some are backyard mechanics, some are even Catholic, some like going to the pub, but you can just sense a street with no street trees and plenty of weatherboard houses. It’s so evocative of the times (early 1980s), and even the local fish and chip shop is described to a tee; a takeaway shop that did very little to attract customers, but nevertheless, everyone stopped in there. This book should be on your “must read” list.'
View the full long-list and read librarian's comments on the DUBLIN Literary Award website.
This Excellent Machine
Clem Whelan’s got a problem: trapped in the suburbs in the Sunnyboy summer of 1984 he has to decide what to do with his life. Matriculation? He’s more than able, but not remotely interested. Become a writer? His failed lawyer neighbour Peter encourages him, but maybe it’s just another dead end? To make sense of the world, Clem uses his telescope to spy on his neighbours. As the year progresses and the essays go unwritten, he starts to understand the excellence of it all.
It's going to be a long year, but in the end Clem emerges from the machine a different person, ready to face what he now understands about life, love, and the importance of family and neighbours.