3 Dec 2011

BAD SEX IN FICTION AWARDS 2011.

Now as some of you are aware book awards don't exactly do it for me as I've lost count of the number of times I've read a book that has won such and such an award only to be left asking myself why.

Slightly different are the Bad Sex in Fiction awards - why this should be I'm not too sure as, along with swearing, explicit, graphic, over long sex scenes just don't float my boat.

Started some 19 years ago, the awards are an annual event organised by the Literary Review to ..........

mock the gratuitous and often excruciatingly embarrassing descriptions of sex in literature. To draw attention to the crude, tasteless, often perfunctory use of redundant passages of sexual description in the modern novel and to discourage it.

And so onto the nominees for this years awards.

  • Stephen King for his new novel 11.22.63
  • Haruki Murakami for his 1Q84 trilogy
  • James Frey for the The Final Testament of the Holy Bible
  • Christopher Tsiolkas for Dead Europe
  • Chris Adrian for The Great Night
And

  • Sebastian Barry
  • Lee Child
  • Jean Auel
  • Dori Ostermiller
Though there are time for other nominations before the awards ceremony which takes place in London on the 6th of December.

Now, I can't possibly comment on most of the nominations BUT

I have read The Final Testament of the Holy Bible by James Frey (as has Husband dearest, you can see our reviews by clicking HERE) and must say I can quite understand why it has been nominated.

As for Lee Child's, I have only read one of his books, Tripwire (you can read my review by clicking HERE) and whilst I didn't find it overly sexually graphic I think this quote from the book just about summed up for me ....  "Like a condom filled with walnuts".

And finally, onto Jean Auel who, along with  Dori Ostermiller, is one of only two female nominees. I have read her EARTH'S CHILDREN series and have to say that whilst I did enjoy the books I found her fixation with certain sex acts rather boring, repetitive and totally unnecessary.

Want to read more and to see an extract of just why Stephen King has been nominated? Click HERE.

6 comments:

Maude Lynn said...

This just might save me some painful reading!

Kelly said...

What an interesting award! None of those are titles I've read or planned to read. I have read my share of Stephen King in the past, but this title is one that doesn't appeal to me as I've never been fascinated in the least with the events surrounding the Kennedy assassination.

Melissa (Books and Things) said...

I think this is one of the funniest awards out there. I think the worst I read is a historical where they did it in a freezing storm in a dilapidated barn, that smelled, on hay. Yea... right... LOL

Alexia561 said...

Hadn't heard of this award, but it's very much needed! Think Lauren K Hamilton should have a Lifetime Achievement Award, as her books have gotten ridiculous.

Love Melissa's description of the historical sex scene in a barn. Hay if itchy! :o

Jenners said...

I like the concept of this award but sadly have not read any of the nominated books. Yay … I guess!

The Bookworm said...

What a fantastic idea for a post.
"Like a condom filled with walnuts"<-lol!!!! What the heck?
I have to go check that Stephen King article out now....