I really enjoy reading from the Orange Prize lists. The longlist for 2010 was announced March 17th. Unfortunately, I’ve only read the bottom two titles** on this list. While I enjoyed both of them very much (4 1/2 stars each), I’m wondering if any of the others are even better. Have you read any on the longlist that you would recommend? Or do you have a prediction for the winner? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
A group of us are participating in Orange July, and I haven’t posted my intention to participate yet — after we’re almost halfway through the month! I have been reading winners and shortlist and longlist titles, which all qualify.
Books so far:
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (2005 new writers’ shortlist)
Jill from The Magic Lasso is prompting others to read as many books in July as we can that have been longlisted, shortlisted, or won by the Orange Prize. I hope to read at least the first two titles on the list. I’m also interested in reading the other titles in the next year or so. A group of us are reading Oranges at the Orange Prize Project as well. Check it out!
A beautifully told story of a savage civil war, Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun definitely deserved the 2007 Orange Prize.
They sat on wooden planks and the weak morning sun streamed into the roofless class as she unfurled Odenigbo’s cloth flag and told them what the symbols meant. Red was the blood of the siblings massacred in the North, black was for mourning them, green was for the prosperity Biafra would have, and finally, the half of a yellow sun stood for the glorious future.
I resisted reading this book because I really just don’t like war stories at all. I wanted to give it a chance, though, because so many bloggers had said they appreciated it. They were right; it’s a very special book. Based on the conflict in Nigeria in the late 1960′s, it not only depicts the horrors of war, it also hauntingly and lovingly depicts the lives of the participants. Apparently many of the characters were based on real people in Adichie’s family history, and this authenticity very much shines through.There were some content issues for me in the book, but I’m very glad I read this story. I look forward to reading Purple Hibiscus and other books of hers to come. If you decide to read the book (and I highly encourage it), afterwards you might want to go to her website http://www.halfofayellowsun.com where you can find a lot more information about the true story.
"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? (1 Peter 3:12-13, ESV)
Rosie Alison The Very Thought of You
A group of us are participating in 
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A beautifully told story of a savage civil war, Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun definitely deserved the 2007 Orange Prize.
Apparently many of the characters were based on real people in Adichie’s family history, and this authenticity very much shines through.There were some content issues for me in the book, but I’m very glad I read this story. I look forward to reading Purple Hibiscus and other books of hers to come. If you decide to read the book (and I highly encourage it), afterwards you might want to go to her website 
