Waterstones Declares ‘Hamnet’ It’s Book of the Year

Waterstones has declared Maggie O’Farrell’s historical novel Hamnet as its Waterstones’ Book of the Year for 2020, beating other books nominated by “an overwhelming majority”. Hamnet has already received numerous awards since its publication earlier this year, including the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2020, as well as the Reader’s Choice winner for this year’s BAMB Awards. The novel explores the tragically short life of Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet, and has been met with critical acclaim since its release.

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“I’m over the moon that Hamnet has been chosen as Waterstones’ Book of the Year,” said O’Farrell. “It is one of my favourite awards and I make a point of reading the winning book each year. It’s a huge honour to be added to this list, especially as I know that the award is nominated by those most discerning of readers: booksellers. Without their expert guidance and knowledge, my reading shelves would be much the poorer. This year has been a strange and challenging year for all of us: what better time to listen to the narratives of others and lose ourselves in a book?”

As reported by The Bookseller, Waterstones noted that Hamnet‘s themes of family, nature, and community can give readers hope during even the darkest of times, saying the novel is “an especially prescient message for this turbulent year”. The book was popular with many of Waterstones’ staff, including Alex McQueen of Waterstones Islington, who said it was “simply the best book I’ve read this year. Timely, poetic and with an almost filmic ability to morph between perspective and scene”, as well as Will Rycroft, of Waterstones E-commerce, who described it as “a brilliant novel of character, humanity and love at exactly the time when we need all of those things”.

Waterstones’ Fiction Buyer, Bea Carvalho, said the novel was “the clear standout title” among booksellers, calling it “a masterwork”.

“We have been hugely impressed by the abundance of brilliant books published this year and, for our booksellers, Hamnet is the clear standout title: a work of immense style and emotional heft which will surely go on to be a future classic,” she said. “Maggie O’Farrell’s novel is a literary treat which offers texture to the history of our most famous playwright, a portrait of parenthood’s dazzling highs and devastating lows, and a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit: this wonderful novel truly has something for readers of all tastes. It is a masterwork by an author at the height of her power, and we’re delighted to share it with many more of our customers as our Book of the Year.”

Other books shortlisted for the award include Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half, Bolu Babalola’s Love in Colour, and Craig Brown’s One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time, to name but a few. Waterstones will begin selling an exclusive edition of Hamnet, complete with a red cloth-effect, gold-foiled jacket, a red ribbon marker, as well as top and tail bands. It will also include bespoke endpapers and exclusive material written by the author.

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The Feminist Library will celebrate its 44th birthday in March, and now that date will be the start of an exciting time for the library as the date also signifies the day that the library will move to Peckham after Crowdfunding success.

The library staff have spoken of their relief at raising £35,000 for its move to Peckham and the provisional opening date for the new library is 14th March. It was October when the Feminist Library launched a crowdfunding campaign for its relocation to a community centre in Peckham after being based in Westminster for the last thirty years.

Sadly the volunteer run archive lost its current location on Westminster Bridge Road where it has stood for the last thirty years due to redevelopment of the site but could not afford to move. However, a successful crowdfunder has now raised £35,000, allowing the relocation to go ahead.

The library holds around 4,000 items, books, periodicals and archives, all relating to feminism and is now hoping that with plenty of volunteer help, moving into the new space will be much easier. The library is a rich historical resource, tracing the feminist movement as it developed over the last fo9ur to give decades. As well as housing historical items relating to the movement, the library also acts as a community space for women, feminists and activists alike.

If you’d like to support the Feminist Library you can become a volunteer by emailing [email protected], support the Crowdfunder here, or become a friend to the library and help with general running costs.

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