The longlist for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction was announced last week, and it is as diverse and intriguing as always. Of particular notes are Nigerian Ayobami Adebayo’s debut Stay With Me about the impact of infertility on a couple, Yewande Omotoso’s Cape Town chronicle The Woman Next Door, and Madeleine Thein’s (pictured) Chinese epic Do Not Say We Have Nothing. The usual big hitters – Annie Proulx, Margaret Atwood, Rose Tremain – are also up for the prestigious award, with the shortlist announced in April. www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk
Fair’s fair
It’s London Book Fair time again and the global publishing industry’s talking shop, taking place until tomorrow, has once again a UAE presence with the Sharjah Book Authority stand. Today it hosts a session on the opportunities for UK publishers in the UAE, while on Thursday there’s a similar presentation from the Emirates Publishers Association. New imprint Neem Tree Press’ Scott Lauder and Amira Traish, both UAE resident authors, will also be at the fair. www.londonbookfair.co.uk
Smiley Culture
The spy has finally come in from the cold. John le Carré’s famous character George Smiley – one of the main protagonists of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – will return after 25 years in a new novel, A Legacy of Spies. There are scant details of the plot as yet, but le Carré, 85, has said his 24th espionage novel, due to be released in September, was inspired by current political situations.
