The Republic of Consciousness Prize for Small Presses 2024 Longlist
We are beyond pleased to finally share the 10 books comprising this year’s RofC longlist. They are listed below, alphabetically by publisher.
To read the full longlist announcement, (as well as consistent small press news + general musings) visit our Substack. That is where the shortlist will first drop on March 11th.
The winner event will be held at foyles, charing cross road on april 17, 2024!
Thank you to every press that made a submission and to our brilliant judges, Declan O’Driscoll, Sana Goyal, and Rebecca Abrams.
Boiler House Press
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Cassava Republic
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Charco Press
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Fum d’Estampa Press
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Jantar Press
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Les Fugitives
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Lolli Editions
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Scotland Street Press
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Tilted Axis Press
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Boiler House Press 〰️ Cassava Republic 〰️ Charco Press 〰️ Fum d’Estampa Press 〰️ Jantar Press 〰️ Les Fugitives 〰️ Lolli Editions 〰️ Scotland Street Press 〰️ Tilted Axis Press 〰️
Out of Earth b
y Sheyla Smanioto
Translated by Laura Garmeson & Sophie Lewis
Boiler House Press
Our judges said: “A vivid, mesmerising multigenerational novel, which tackles brutality and violence within familial relationships with tact. A very impressive book.”
Avenues by Train b
y Farai Mudzingwa
Cassava Republic
Our judges said: “An assured debut. It addresses the objective truth of these lives but also deftly conveys the character's subjective understanding of the forces that influence their fate.”
Of Cattle and Men b
y Ana Paula Maia
Translated by Zoë Perry
Charco Press
Our judges said: “A stunning thriller of sorts. So understated. So powerful. So heartbreaking. Worked for me completely on both the level of a human story and as a warning parable for our times.“
Truth & Dare b
y So Mayer
Charco Press
First longlisted submission
Our judges said: “An excellent approach taken to evoking situations. I'm a fan of this press and these stories – really cheeky, playful, weird and wonderful.”
Summa Kaotica b
y Ventura Ametller
Translation by Douglas Suttle
Fum d’Estampa Press
Our judges said: “Fizzing with wild, creative energy blending myth, legend, fact and history - Don Quixote meets Tristram Shandy meets The Flounder.“
Barcode b
y Krisztina Tóth
Translated by Peter Sherwood
Jantar Press
First longlisted submission
Our judges said: "Sharply observed, surprising explorations of identity, community, guilt. Each story swerves in a fleet, deliberately discombobulating fashion. Wonderful prose work from a poet.“
May the Tigris Grieve for You b
y Emilienne Malfatto
Translated by Lorna Scott Fox
Les Fugitives
Our judges said: “A very powerful little book. It stages the ambiguities, hesitations, fears, and all the grey stuff that makes us human. Poetic, yet powerful in political statement.”
My Work b
y Olga Ravn
Translated by Sophia Hersi Smith & Jennifer Russell
Lolli Editions
Our judges said: “A startling presentation of her troubling experience of motherhood. Admired its structural risk-taking, dark humour, its unrelenting honesty and intellectual seriousness.”
The Zekameron b
y Maxim Znak
Translated by Jim & Ella Dingley
Scotland Street Press
Our judges said: “Deceptively light touch to these powerful stories by imprisoned Belarusian lawyer and activist. A truly important book.”
The End of August b
y Yu Miri
Translated by Morgan Giles
Tilted Axis Press
Our judges said: “Ambitious in scope and execution. Amazingly well-sustained, multi-layered, many-voiced novel. A joy to read.”
Here is what our judges have to say about this year’s prize:
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“As with the narrative arc of a good novel, the judging process brought with it many moments of revelation, delightful bewilderment, shifts of mindset and subjective insights. Each book that arrived in my postbox brought with it a feeling of anticipation as it quickly became clear how immense the imaginative and stylistic range of books being published by the small presses is. I am very grateful to all of those publishers who made judging this prize such a pleasure. May their daring and their openness to unorthodox voices be fostered and encouraged.”
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“Judging the Republic of Consciousness Prize has been a highly rewarding and humbling experience. At a moment when literary prizes are being cancelled, or changing in title, sponsorship, funding, and eligibility, it is reassuring to see a prize stand by its original mission statement of recognising and validating the often important, risk-taking, and trailblazing work being done by small, independent presses. I hope readers will find on this longlist books often not stocked in bookshops, or included in bestseller or end-of-year lists, and ask why. It has been a pleasure and honour to play a small part in bringing to the centre of literary conversation the type of writing and publishing which is otherwise pushed to the peripheries of the literary industry.”
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“Being one of the judges for this year's RoC Prize has entirely restored my faith in the world of publishing. The vitality, range and originality of the books coming from the small presses has given me many hours of exhilarating reading, and I salute every one of these publishers for their courageous dedication to literary innovation and creativity in all its wild and wonderful manifestations.”
A virtual thank you note to our supporters
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