Latest news with #TheSafekeep
New York Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Book Club: Let's Talk About ‘The Safekeep'
MJ Franklin, who hosts the Book Review podcast's monthly book club, says that whenever someone asks him what book to read next, Yael van der Wouden's 'The Safekeep' is his go-to recommendation. So he was particularly excited to discuss the novel with a fellow editor at the Book Review, Joumana Khatib, and Anna Dubenko, a passionate reader who heads The New York Times newsroom's audience team, for this week's episode. (We've also been talking about the book with readers online. Join that conversation here.) Set in the Netherlands in 1961, 'The Safekeep' is the kind of book it's best not to know too much about, as part of the delight is discovering its secrets unspoiled. As our reviewer coyly wrote in her piece about the novel, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2024 (alongside former Book Club picks 'James' and 'Orbital'): 'What a quietly remarkable book. I'm afraid I can't tell you too much about it.' Here are some other works discussed in this week's episode: 'The Torqued Man,' by Peter Mann 'The Little Stranger,' by Sarah Waters 'Mice 1961,' by Stacey Levine 'The New Life,' by Tom Crewe We would love to hear your thoughts about this episode, and about the Book Review's podcast in general. You can send them to books@
South Wales Argus
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Palestinian author Yasmin Zaher wins Dylan Thomas Prize
The prize is the world's largest and most prestigious literary award for young writers. The Coin, which was released in paperback on May 1, 2025, was chosen unanimously by the judging panel. It draws on Zaher's personal experiences to explore themes of identity and heritage. Namita Gokhale, chair of judges, said: "The judging panel was unanimous in their decision to name debut novelist Yasmin Zaher as the winner of the 2025 Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize. "Zaher brings complexity and intensity to the page through her elegantly concise writing: The Coin is a borderless novel, tackling trauma and grief with bold and poetic moments of quirkiness and humour. "It fizzes with electric energy." Zaher was awarded the £20,000 prize at a ceremony in Swansea on May 15. The prize celebrates exceptional literary talent aged 39 or under. The other shortlisted titles for the 2025 prize were Rapture's Road by Seán Hewitt, Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon, The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden, I Will Crash by Rebecca Watson, and Moderate to Poor, Occasionally Good by Eley Williams. The 2025 prize was judged by Namita Gokhale, Professor Daniel Williams, Jan Carson, Mary Jean Chan, and Max Liu. Yasmin Zaher joins a list of previous winners including Caleb Azumah Nelson, Arinze Ifeakandu, Patricia Lockwood, Max Porter, Raven Leilani, Bryan Washington, Maggie Shipstead, Guy Gunaratne, and Kayo Chingonyi.
New York Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Book Club: Read ‘The Safekeep,' by Yael van der Wouden, With the Book Review
Whenever I mention that I work in books, the next question I invariably get is: 'Do you have a good book recommendation?' It's a surprisingly difficult question to answer effectively on the spot. Tastes vary. The genres, tones and moods that I love may not be what someone else finds compelling. The trick becomes suggesting something that is excellent, that the inquirer likely hasn't already read and that will appeal no matter what kind of reader I'm talking to. For the past few months, when faced with this query, I have had one go-to answer: 'The Safekeep,' by Yael van der Wouden. A debut novel that was shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize, 'The Safekeep' is many things at once — a historical tale (sure, it's set only 60 years ago, but it's grappling with the baggage of a discreet, postwar era), a psychological thriller, a forbidden romance. It opens in the Netherlands in 1961. Isabel is a joyless loner who spends most of her time hiding in her deceased mother's old country house. One night she goes out to dinner with her brothers, Hendrik and Louis. Surprisingly, Louis brings along a new girlfriend, Eva, and Isabel immediately senses something is amiss. On the surface Eva is silly and brash, but Isabel can detect that under Eva's ditsy facade lurks a sharper, more dangerous disposition. When Louis has leaves for a work trip, he sends Eva to stay at the country house, much to Isabel's chagrin. But Isabel doesn't have a say; technically, the house was promised to Louis and he can do with it as he pleases. Forced together, Isabel and Eva form a charged and ever-evolving relationship that threatens to upend everything that Isabel thought she knew. In May, the Book Review Book Club will read and discuss 'The Safekeep,' by Yael van der Wouden. We'll be chatting about the book on the Book Review podcast that airs on May 30, and we'd love for you to join the conversation. Share your thoughts about the novel in the comments section of this article by May 22, and we may mention your observations in the episode. Here's some related reading to get you started: We can't wait to discuss the book with you. In the meantime, happy reading!
The Guardian
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Miranda July and Elizabeth Strout shortlisted for the Women's prize for fiction
American writers Miranda July and Elizabeth Strout have been shortlisted for the 30th Women's prize for fiction alongside four debut authors. The six titles in contention for the £30,000 prize all draw on 'the importance of human connection' in different ways, said writer and judging chair Kit de Waal. 'What is surprising and refreshing is to see so much humour, nuance and lightness employed by these novelists to shed light on challenging concepts.' Good Girl by Aria Aber (Bloomsbury) All Fours by Miranda July (Canongate) The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji (4th Estate) Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout (Viking) The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden (Viking) Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis (Weidenfeld) July was selected for All Fours, which follows a 45-year-old artist who sets out on a road trip across the US but decides to check into a motel room close to home instead, where she begins a sexless affair with a younger man. The novel was described as 'acerbically clever, radically compassionate', in a Guardian review by Lara Feigel. Strout – who has previously been longlisted four times and shortlisted twice – was this time chosen for Tell Me Everything, in which characters from her previous novels, Olive Kitteridge and Lucy Barton, meet. Writing in the Guardian, Elizabeth Lowry described the novel as 'taciturn but deeply felt and profoundly intelligent'. Dutch writer Yael van der Wouden's debut novel The Safekeep, which was shortlisted for last year's Booker prize, has also won over the Women's prize judges. Van der Wouden's family drama set in postwar Netherlands was praised by Guardian reviewer Rachel Seiffert for the way the author 'creates and sustains atmospheres deftly, and ultimately delivers a thrilling story'. Nussaibah Younis was shortlisted for Fundamentally, about an academic who accepts a UN job in Iraq and is tasked with rehabilitating Isis women. 'Younis tackles radicalism and racism, faith and friendship, with dexterity, deep care and a large dose of laughter', wrote Sana Goyal in her Guardian review. Aria Aber made the list for Good Girl, a coming-of-age story following Nila, a daughter of Afghan refugees growing up in Berlin. 'Good Girl is a must-read about the complexities of Afghan sexuality, family, shame, poverty and power,' wrote Dina Nayeri in the Guardian. Completing the shortlist is The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji, a multigenerational story of five women from a once-illustrious Iranian family. 'Mahloudji writes with a wisdom and confidence rarely seen in a debut, and her sharp observations are humorous and poignant,' wrote Joanna Cannon in her Guardian review. Sign up to Bookmarks Discover new books and learn more about your favourite authors with our expert reviews, interviews and news stories. Literary delights delivered direct to you after newsletter promotion One of the best-known writers on the longlist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie did not make this year's shortlist for her novel Dream Count. She was shortlisted for all three of her previous novels and won both the 2007 prize and the 25th anniversary 'winner of winners' award in 2020. Other longlisted books were The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, Somewhere Else by Jenni Daiches, Amma by Saraid de Silva, Crooked Seeds by Karen Jennings, The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami, Nesting by Roisín O'Donnell, A Little Trickerie by Rosanna Pike, Birding by Rose Ruane and The Artist by Lucy Steeds. De Waal whittled down the longlist with the help of novelist Diana Evans, journalists Bryony Gordon and Deborah Joseph, and composer Amelia Warner. This year's prize was open to novels written in English and published in the UK between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025. The winner will be announced on 12 June alongside the winner of its sister award, the Women's prize for nonfiction. Previous winners of the fiction prize include Zadie Smith, Ali Smith and Maggie O'Farrell. Last year, VV Ganeshananthan won for Brotherless Night. To browse all of the books on the Women's prize for fiction 2025 shortlist visit Delivery charges may apply.
The Guardian
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Eley Williams and Ferdia Lennon shortlisted for Dylan Thomas prize
Eley Williams, Yael van der Wouden and Ferdia Lennon are among the young writers shortlisted for this year's Swansea University Dylan Thomas prize. Seán Hewitt, Yasmin Zaher and Rebecca Watson also made the shortlist for the £20,000 award, which celebrates fiction in any form – including novels, short stories, poetry and drama – by writers aged 39 or under in honour of the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, who died at that age. Rapture's Road by Seán Hewitt (Cape) Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon (Fig Tree) The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden (Viking) I Will Crash by Rebecca Watson (Faber) Moderate to Poor, Occasionally Good by Eley Williams (4th Estate) The Coin by Yasmin Zaher (Footnote) The 'varied and diverse' shortlist 'encompasses the historical, the contemporary, and the timeless' and showcases 'startlingly fresh writing, style and energy', said writer and judging chair Namita Gokhale. Williams was chosen for Moderate to Poor, Occasionally Good – the only short story collection on the list. In the 'concise masterpiece' of the title story, the announcer of the shipping forecast considers its significance to listeners, wrote Sarah Crown in her Guardian review. Van der Wouden made the shortlist for The Safekeep, which was also shortlisted for the 2024 Booker and is on the longlist for this year's Women's prize for fiction. The novel explores the postwar treatment of Jews in the Netherlands through a family drama. 'This is an impressive debut,' wrote Rachel Seiffert in her Guardian review. 'She creates and sustains atmospheres deftly, and ultimately delivers a thrilling story.' Sign up to Bookmarks Discover new books and learn more about your favourite authors with our expert reviews, interviews and news stories. Literary delights delivered direct to you after newsletter promotion Lennon was picked for his novel Glorious Exploits, which won the Waterstones debut fiction prize last summer. Set in Syracuse in 412BC in the aftermath of Athens' failed invasion of Sicily, the story follows two potters who decide to stage an adaptation of Medea in a quarry where Athenian soldiers are held captive, using the prisoners as actors. Hewitt's Rapture's Road, which explores love and loss, is the only poetry collection on this year's shortlist. 'Hewitt's poetry is a hide and seek of the self. It reveals and conceals', wrote Kate Kellaway in the Observer. Watson was shortlisted for I Will Crash, a novel narrated by a woman dealing with the death of her abusive brother. Completing the shortlist is Zaher's The Coin, about a wealthy Palestinian woman who gets involved in a pyramid scheme reselling designer Birkin bags. The six-strong shortlist was chosen from a longlist of 12, which also featured Forest of Noise by Mosab Abu Toha, Mrs Jekyll by Emma Glass, The Hypocrite by Jo Hamya, Pity by Andrew McMillan, Monstrum by Lottie Mills, and The Fertile Earth by Ruthvika Rao. The winner will be announced on 15 May at a ceremony in Swansea, Thomas's birthplace. Joining Gokhale on the judging panel are writer Jan Carson, poet Mary Jean Chan, critic Max Liu and academic Daniel Williams. Past winners of the prize include Patricia Lockwood, Max Porter and Arinze Ifeakandu. Last year, Caleb Azumah Nelson won the award for his second novel, Small Worlds.
