2021 Book of the Year shortlist

Following the success of the 2020 initiative, we are delighted to announce the 2021 ACU Book of the Year shortlist.

The selected book will address important cultural and social themes that are relevant for students and the wider world, with the theme of generosity.

The judging panel is Emeritus Professor Margot Hillel OAM, Professor Dermot Nestor and Fides Datu Lawton.

The Book of the Year initiative brings to the fore the value of reading fiction as a means to develop empathy, engage with the world, and forge community.

Emeritus Professor Hillel said, “Reading fiction gives you an idea of the way other people think. It broadens your horizons and makes you aware of the individual worth of every person, which is very much aligned with ACU’s mission.”

This is perhaps particularly important in this Covid-19 year when, more than ever, we need to be generous and empathetic.

The 2021 Book of the Year shortlist:

• Bear Town by Fredrick Backman
• The Bookshop of the Broken-Hearted by Robert Hillman
• Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves by Rachel Malik
• The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
• The Storied Life of A.K. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

The Book of the Year winner will be announced in September and the university will then approach the publisher and arrange for students to receive copies of the book.

The shortlist will be displayed in all campus libraries.

Happy reading.