The Wellcome Book Prize

Click to view shortlist

2019 is the tenth year of the Wellcome Book Prize and we believe that the shortlist this year is the most exciting, most interesting and most compelling.

Comprised of two novels, two (and a half) memoirs and two narrative nonfiction titles the shortlist has something for everyone whilst remaining true to the aim of the prize to reward books with ‘a central theme that engages with some aspect of medicine, health or illness.’

The winner will be announced on 1st May and I am not about to try and predict the outcome. Any of the shortlisted books would make a worthy winner.

Here is our rundown of the runners and riders:

‘A blazingly wise and beautiful book.’ — A.L. Kennedy

Amateur by Thomas Page McBee

The fascinating story of a trans man preparing for a boxing match at Madison Square Gardens is lifted to another level with the added exploration of what masculinity means today. It is utterly courageous and cannot fail to move you. Provocative, brutally honest and sure to challenge your perspective on gender identity it truly is a book that will leave you feeling grateful that you read it.

‘Sandeep Jauhar writes with the eye of a doctor and the heart of a poet.’ — Marilyn Yalom

Heart — A History by Sandeep Jauhar

The author, a practicing cardiologist, moves seamlessly between the operating theatre and his own family history as he delves into the medical history of our most vital organ — including the accidental invention of the pacemaker and the pioneers of heart surgery who put their reputations on the line in pursuit of life-saving procedures.

‘…brought me as close to the lived reality of mental illness as I have ever been.’ — Mark O’Connell

Mind on Fire by Arnold Thomas Fanning

The author suffered a hellish descent into depression and delusion in his twenties before recovering and becoming a renowned playwright. His story is, at times, harrowing, harsh and agonising but ultimately redemptive.

You will not want to walk in the author’s shoes but you will thank him for his honesty and insight.

‘…a shining example of the moral and imaginative possibilities of fiction.’ Justine Jordan

Murmur by Will Eaves

This novel (described by the author as a fantasia) is supremely ambitious, taking us into the dreams of Alan Turing. That it succeeds fo fully is astonishing.

To inhabit the mind of a genius such as Turing allows the author to explore many and varied themes, notably identity, consciousness, love and what will be the limitations of artificial intelligence. Quite remarkable.

‘…whip-smart, continuously compelling, and acerbic in all the right ways.’ —Vidyan Ravinthiran

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

‘Savage, funny, frequently on the verge of teetering into lunacy… My Year of Rest and Relaxation is a non-negotiable in your holiday carry-on this summer’ Vogue

Our protagonist would prefer to take a year off from the rigours of her life through a ‘narcotic hibernation.’

Comic novels are hard to pull off, Moshfegh does it with aplomb and exhilarating abandon.

‘An anomalous, indelible treasure… Krasnostein allows Sandra’s story room to breathe and expand, to quietly but confidently stake its claim to the reader’s heart.”’ — Kill Your Darlings

The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein

Her job is to clean up the houses of the hoarders, the murdered and the tragic.

Her journey of transitioning from a husband and father to a woman, via sex work and being a drag queen is no less eye-opening.

This is a fantastic story of a remarkable woman.

All the previous winners of the Wellcome Book Prize

Good luck to all the authors, whoever is chosen has written a marvellous book. Not something that you can always say about a shortlist.