The Strays (novel)
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| 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 |
The Strays is a 2014 novel by the Australian author Emily Bitto, her first.[1] It won the 2015 Stella Prize.[2]
The Strays is a fictionalisation of the 1930s group of Australian artists known as the Heide Circle. Bitto has said that she "tried to capture (...) the romance and excitement of that circle; the sense of the new that stirred the stale waters of outer Melbourne when a group of artists came together to work and live side by side, to buck the establishment and create their own small utopia within the confines of an old house and a large, thriving garden."[3]
The Age described it as "an eloquent portrayal of the damage caused by self-absorption as well as a moving study of isolation".[4] It was awarded the A$50,000 Stella Prize for the best book of fiction or nonfiction by an Australian woman. The Stella Prize judges described The Strays as "like a gemstone: polished and multifaceted, reflecting illuminations back to the reader and holding rich colour in its depths."[5]
Synopsis
In 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
James 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."[6]
Writing for the Text journal Ruby Todd called the book "elegant", noting that she has created a "resonant novel".[7]
Publishing history
After the novel's initial publication in Australia in 2014 by Affirm Press[1] it was reprinted as follows:
- Affirm Press, Australia, 2015[8]
- Legend Press, UK, 2016[8]
- Twelve, 2018, USA[8]
- Affirm Press, Australia, 2021[9]
Awards
- 2013 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards — Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript by an Emerging Victorian Writer, shortlisted[10]
- 2015 Stella Prize, winner[2]
- 2015 Indie Book Awards Book of the Year – Debut Fiction, shortlisted[11]
- 2015 Nita Kibble Literary Awards — Dobbie Award, shortlisted[10]
- 2015 New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards — UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing, shortlisted[10]
- 2016 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, longlisted[10]
Notes
The author was interviewed by The Guardian newspaper after the novel was shortlisted for the Stella Prize.[12]
See also
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ Bitto, Emily; Kenneally, Christine; Laguna, Sofie; Neerven, Ellen Van; Clarke, Maxine Beneba; London, Joan (16 April 2015). "Stella prize 2015: the shortlisted authors on the stories behind their books". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- ^ McGirr, Michael. "Emily Bitto's debut novel of loneliness and self-absorption". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- ^ "2015". The Stella Prize. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- ^ ""The Strays by Emily Bitto"". Australian Book Review, May 2014. 29 April 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ Garrett, Craig; Papastergiadis, Nikos; Jose, Nicholas; Hecq, Dominique; Giannoukos, Tina; Gildfind, Helen; Bacon, Eugen; Pomfret, Mary; Todd, Ruby; Niaz, Nadia; Brown, Amy (30 October 2014). ""Speak, memory review by Ruby Todd"". Text. 18 (2). Text Journal, October 2014: 1–43. doi:10.52086/001c.27313. 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 Guardian. The Guardian, 16 April 2015. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2024.