Here at the blog we love a good literary debate and so the publication today of the longlist for the Orange Prize for fiction immediately ignites furious discussion. Over the necessity for a women only fiction prize in the 21st Century? Er no, not exactly. Developing trends in women's fiction? No, not that either.
The thing that's exercising us is the presence on the list of an author called Lionel Shriver for the book 'We Need To Talk About Kevin'. Sure, we know there are (or have been) men called Shirley. Wasn't the wrestler Big Daddy one of those? And there are all those androgenous Pats and Frankys. But Lionel? I've got an Uncle Lionel and he definitely wouldn't be eligible for entry. But hey, we're journalists so what can we tell you about Lionel Shriver?
We can't tell you much about Lionel, actually. Her book has had good reviews including from us, but the literary world is far too sophisticated to mention a thing like that. And so it seems is the author. We found an interview from the US bookseller Barnes and Noble and even a piece she wrote about her relationship with her own mother, during which she might have touched on the name thing. Neither piece sees fit to mention it.
So we are none the wiser. Still we do know this: she's been shortlisted for the Orange Prize so it's a good day for aspiring women authors called Lionel everywhere.
