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Costa Book Awards shortlist announced; Meera Syal; The Hunger Games review; Peter Bazalgette

The category shortlists for the 2014 Costa Book Awards; Meera Syal on her new stage role; the latest Hunger Games film reviewed; The Arts Council's Peter Bazalgette.

The shortlisted authors for the 2014 Costa Book Awards are announced. Critic Stephanie Merritt comments on the authors chosen in five categories: novel, first novel, poetry, biography and children's fiction.

Meera Syal discusses her latest stage role in Behind the Beautiful Forevers, based on the book by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Katherine Boo, about life in the shadow of Mumbai's luxury hotels.

The final part of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay, has been split in two for the film version. Sophia McDougall reviews Mockingjay: Part 1.

Peter Bazalgette, Chair of Arts Council England, discusses his campaign to raise the profile of arts in the UK as the political parties write their manifestos for the General Election next May.

Available now

30 minutes

Chapters

  • Costa Book Awards shortlist

    Duration: 08:17

  • The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

    Duration: 04:47

  • Peter Bazalgette

    Duration: 07:46

  • Meera Syal

    Duration: 06:49

Costa Book Awards

The Category Shortlist for the

Novel Award shortlist

  • Neel Mukherjee - The Lives of Others聽 聽
  • Monique Roffey聽- House of Ashes
  • Ali Smith - How to be both
  • Colm Toibin - Nora Webster

First Novel Award shortlist

  • Carys Bray - A Song for Issy Bradley
  • Mary Costello - Academy Street聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽
  • Emma Healey - Elizabeth is Missing
  • Simon Wroe - Chop Chop

Biography Award shortlist

  • John Campbell - Roy Jenkins: A Well-Rounded Life聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽
  • Marion Coutts - The Iceberg: A Memoir
  • Helen Macdonald - H is for Hawk聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽
  • Henry Marsh - Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery聽 聽 聽 聽

Poetry Award shortlist

  • Colette Bryce - The Whole & Rain-domed Universe
  • Jonathan Edwards - My Family and Other Superheroes
  • Lavinia Greenlaw- A Double Sorrow: Troilus and Criseyde
  • Kei Miller- The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽
Children鈥檚 Book Award shortlist
  • Simon Mason - Running Girl
  • Michael Morpurgo - Listen to the Moon 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽
  • Kate Saunders - Five Children on the Western Front 聽 聽 聽聽
  • Marcus Sedgwick - The Ghosts of Heaven

Create from the Arts Council

Create from the Arts Council

Create: A journal of perspectives on the value of art and culture from the Arts Council is available to download .

Image: Peter Bazelgette, Chair of Arts Council England. Photo credit: Steven Peskett

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

is in cinemas from Thursday 20 November, certificate 12A.


Behind the Beautiful Forevers

Behind the Beautiful Forevers

is showing at the National Theatre in London until 13 April 2015.

Images from Behind the Beautiful Forevers. Above: Meera Syal as Zehrunisa Husain. Right: Meera Syal as Zehrunisa Husain and Anjli Mohindra as Kehkashan (Zehrunisa's daughter). 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Photos by: Richard Hubert Smith

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Samira Ahmed
Producer Ellie Bury
Interviewed Guest Stephanie Merritt
Interviewed Guest Sophia McDougall
Interviewed Guest Meera Syal
Interviewed Guest Peter Bazalgette

Broadcast

  • Tue 18 Nov 2014 19:15

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