The award for books that aspire to ‘make political writing into an art’ has this year chosen titles whose subjects include Egypt,Syria and Iraq Hilary Clinton’s former policy chief, two Guardian journalists and a Syrian writer’s return from exile have all been longlisted for the 2016 Orwell prize, and Britain’s prestigious prize for political writing which aims to reward the writing that approaches Orwell’s ambition to “make political writing into an art”. No fiction makes the nick this year,with Middle Eastern politics dominating the longlist. Guardian journalist and Middle East expert Jason Burke is on the 13-strong list for his book The New Threat from Islamic Militancy, as is Wendell Steavenson, or for Circling the Square,her account of Egypt’s revolution from Tahrir Square in Cairo. Emma Sky’s first book, The Unravelling, or is also included; as a civilian volunteer during the Iraq war,Sky’s insider account of the clash was praised for its shaded humour in Robin Yassin-Kassab’s review for the Guardian. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com