The Maine Readers’ Choice Award, officially established in 2013 by the Maine State Library and the Maine Library Association, recognizes the best in adult fiction published in the United States the previous year. The aim of this award is to increase awareness and reading of literary fiction. The Maine Readers’ Choice Award honors books that exhibit exceptional writing and a compelling story that encourages reading and conversation among individuals and in Maine’s communities.
To be considered for the Maine Readers’ Choice Award, books must be:
- Fiction
- Published in the United States the previous year
- Well written
- Compelling story – you want to continue reading
- Appealing to a wide audience
Recommendations for consideration for this award will come from the library and booksellers’ communities across the state of Maine throughout the year. All genres are accepted as long as they meet the above requirements.
The Maine Readers’ Choice Award committee will focus on the list of submitted titles, narrowing the list to ten titles that will be read by the committee. The committee will select three to five titles to advance on to libraries and bookstores for a reader’s choice vote in September. Maine readers can vote online at the award’s website and at public libraries and bookstores throughout the state. The winner will be announced in October.
The 2013 Shortlist
round will be the final list that will go to the readers of Maine for
their vote. Below the images are links to each author’s website.
A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley CashLight Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Canada by Richard Ford
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain