November 22nd, 2005
Ahern on the Impac list - world gone mad
If further proof were ever needed that book prizes are being dumbed down, I’ve just spotted a story in today’s Irish Times revealing Cecilia Ahern is on the longlist for the 2006 Impac Award. (The link isn’t working at the moment probably due to outraged book lovers trying to click on the site and make sure Frank McNally’s article isn’t a joke).
Ahern’s debut, PS, I Love You makes the list along with 132 other books, nominated by 180 libraries in 124 cities worldwide. The only reason I read PS, I Love You was because I was asked to take part in Marian Finucane’s bookclub. I tried to be open-minded and approached it for what it was, but very quickly I was gnawing my knuckles in boredom. The reasons? The unimaginative plot, the glib approach to the subject of grief, the cardboard characters, the nepotistic nods to loving Westlife (twice), the mind-numbing predictability of where it was all heading, the poor ‘Leaving Cert essay’ writing (quote and bibliofemme review courtesy of The Artist) and, well, you get the picture.
I KNOW it’s only the longlist - comprised of a whopping 132 books - and that the award is picked by the reading public, but this is supposed to be a literary award, and Cecelia’s troika of dirge make no contribution to the world of good writing. It also seems more than a little coincidental that she is included on the list the day after her third book If You Could See Me Now hits the shelves.
As far as the rest of the list goes, there is the kind of diversity in style and nationality that you would expect with the award. Other Irish books on the list include Colm Toibin’s 2004 Booker-shortlisted The Master, Oh, Play That Thing by Roddy Doyle, Ronan Bennett’s Havoc In Its Third Year, Frank Delaney’s Ireland and Tina Reilly’s Something Borrowed.
I actually got an invite to the announcement of the longlist. It’s a good thing I didn’t go or I may have been tempted to break into loud hysterical laughter at Ahern’s inclusion or start throwing the complimentary muffins/biscuits at the announcer.
November 22nd, 2005 at 11:41 am
i always find a problem with the Impac award is that it always only includes books published in 2004 which are old by now, so i find it hard to get excited when I see the long/short list because I just think “Oh yeah, Havoc in its third year, I’ve been staring at that in paperback on our 3 for 2 table for the past nine months. Hmmm”! I suppose it’s a necessary evil though with the fact that it’s made up of libraries’ choices, which could also explain the nomination of Ms Ahern (and, well.. I doubt Tina Reilly is much further up the ladder in terms of adding to the national store of literature!). I’m sure we’ll see something really obscure, pretentious and foreign win anyway :p I’ll have to get reading that copt of Gilead that’s on my shelf somewhere…
November 22nd, 2005 at 11:56 am
The degrading of literature continues
November 22nd, 2005 at 12:54 pm
The IMPAC is selected via library recommendations yea? So maybe the long list says something abotu the different reading habits of those who borrow and those who buy. Apart from academic reading, I never use a library, preferring instead to buy and I’m wondering if there’s something in that…Libraries don’t have multiple copies of books so if the one you want is out you either have to wait list it or pick another book….anyway, so long as people are reading eh?
November 22nd, 2005 at 1:05 pm
“anyway, so long as people are reading eh?”
Absolutely, but then does Cecilia’s tripe enrich any reader? I don’t even mind chicklit books, if they’re well written (Marian Keyes) but CA is not most people’s idea of ‘reading’ or a ‘good book’.
Interesting point about borrowing and buying, I do both and I find that the libraries are quite good, even for recently published stuff. If they don’t have mulitiple copies of a book in your local branch, you can set up an inter-library loan that’s fairly prompt.
Mish - It’s unlikely she’ll make the shortlist of 10 and you’re right, some obscure foreign book always tends to win it. I haven’t read any of Robinson’s work but I’ve nearly bought ‘Housekeeping’ several times. Have you read it?
November 22nd, 2005 at 2:13 pm
Well I suppose it takes all sorts? Never read the Ahern book, so won’t comment on it.
But it is a boring college one. I do also use the public library, cause as much as I’d like to buy all the books in the world I just don’t have the space, or the money. Plus I dislike buying hardbacks, but I also dislike waiting to read a book. So libraries are very useful to me 
Thats where I got my hands on Neil Gaiman’s new one after all. Which I really must read.
As for libraries, well I visit every day. Course I do have the excuse that I work in one
November 22nd, 2005 at 2:21 pm
I really love libraries. All those musty books and the heating on way too high. Perfect for days like today.
Fence, I meant to ask - how was Neil Gaiman?
November 22nd, 2005 at 4:49 pm
Really good. I’m not a HUGE fan, but I do like his stuff a lot, or what I’ve read of it. Thought he was very interesting.
Didn’t stick around for the signings, but was impressed.
November 23rd, 2005 at 12:57 am
This was the topic of the day on ‘Liveline’. Frank Delaney, also on the long list, was half disagreeing with a man called Fred, who took the ‘dumbing down’ view. As always, when the subject of literary standards arises, the ‘my taste is as good as the next man’s’ argument ensued. There was a flood of callers accusing anyone who criticised Cecilia of snobbery, sexism, blueness of shirt etc.
Fred fairly reasonably pointed out that Ms Ahern’s success was a triumph of marketing rather than literature.
Why are people prepared to concede that L’Ecrivain is a better restaurant than McDonald’s, despite the latter’s greater popularity, but will howl down any suggestion that there is such a thing as literary excellence that transcends individual taste?
November 23rd, 2005 at 5:12 am
So which one would you vote for? I read every book that Roddy Doyle writes, but have missed the others on the list, and am looking for recommendations.
November 23rd, 2005 at 4:05 pm
Interesting point about restaurants - perhaps the reason nobody argues is because the same people can go to both but have different expectations of each..I dont’ go to McDonalds for a restaurant experience or for a nice evening out, if I do go it’s out of desperation. If I had a 7 hour flight with no book and the only thing on offer was Celia’s I think I’d have to bite the bullet…
November 23rd, 2005 at 9:30 pm
….and i suspect it would leave you with the same slightly-queasy, slightly-guilty feeling as a Big Mac meal.
November 25th, 2005 at 4:34 pm
I couldn’t believe this either.
I met a couple of girls from Griffith College, where Cecelia apparently studied journalism. Her work wasn’t looked upon that favourably in the halls of Griffith, in fact I’m told it was openly mocked. One has to wonder whether or not she would have even got a foot in the door if Daddy wasn’t who Daddy is.
I wish I could write such commercially viable stuff. But my conscience is intent on keeping me poor for now.
On crocodile’s L’Ecrivainalogy, when I eat a meal I expect my stomach to be filled, and for the passage of food past my tongue to be a pleasant one. When I read a book, I expect a synapse or two to spark at the very least.
Cecelia’s books are all filler, but wholly unfulfilling. At least after choking back a MacDonalds there’s a few moments of satisfaction before the meat sweats set in.
November 25th, 2005 at 7:49 pm
Welcome back Markham, you’ve been very quiet of late.
Congrats on graduating!
May 15th, 2006 at 10:00 pm
God, you’re such a load of snobs! It’s no wonder only 13 of ye have replied to the thread - ye’re probably the only thirteen people in the country who actually read ‘literary’ books.
I haven’t read a Cecelia Aherne either. Nor have I read a Tina Reilly but they must be doing something right to get so many people to buy their books. I am in the habit of reading a diverse range of material and I am proud to say that I am not so narrow minded as to cull books becasue of the genre they are in. There are only good books and bad books and if Tina and Cecelia were nominated, then obviously people enjoy thier work.
One must question the reason why the libraries nominated so many ‘literary’ works - (the most borrowed books of a particular year) and I can only conclude that it’s because people who read literary fiction do not believe in spending money on books, which is a sad reflection on them, don’t you think?
And markham, hang your conscience. If you want to give pleasure to people, write a book that they might actually go out and buy.