October 6, 2011 Ann Patchett’s novel, State of Wonder is one of six finalists for the 2011 Wellcome Trust Book Prize. The award, which will be announced at a ceremony in London on November 9, honors a literary work about health, illness, or medicine. In addition to State of Wonder, finalists this year include two works of nonfiction and three novels. The award carries a prize of £25,000 (about $40,000).
Patchett’s nomination marks the third year in a row–for an award that has existed only three years–in which a writer with Tennessee ties has been shortlisted for this prize: former Johnson City physician Abraham Verghese was a finalist in 2009 for his novel, Cutting for Stone, and former Memphis writer Rebecca Skloot won the 2010 award for her book of nonfiction, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.
Read more about the Wellcome Trust Book Prize here. Read an excerpt from State of Wonder here.
For more updates on Tennessee authors, please visit Chapter 16’s News & Notes page, here.
