Wellcome Book Prize 2019: Our Shadow Panel Winner Is…

 

The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman’s Extraordinary Life in Death, Decay and Disaster by Sarah Krasnostein

This year there was no clear favourite among the shadow panel. Two of us picked one book as our favourite, two picked another, and a third picked yet another book! However, by each person assigning each book a point value from 1 to 6, we were able to decide based on the one that got the most points in total. (Though there was only 1 point separating our first place from our runner-up!)

 

Here’s what the shadow panel have to say about our pick:

 

Annabel: “I was glad to have read this book. It was an easy read despite its oft grim subject matter, fascinating and very sympathetic too.”

 

Clare: “The structure of the book reveals the many layers and contradictions of Sandra gradually … even though it’s one of the least objective biographies I’ve read in a very long time, it is also one of the most memorable and fascinating.”

 

Laura: “The Trauma Cleaner is a book it will be difficult to forget in a hurry. … Krasnostein is rightly impressed by Sandra’s resilience, and, in telling her story, she makes the right choice, I think, to remain as a largely invisible presence.”

 

Paul: “Pankhurst is one remarkable lady, even after a horrendous childhood and working in the prostitution trade, she has an amazing amount of empathy for all of her clients. … if you want to have a no-holds-barred look at a part of society that almost everyone will be unaware of then this is one to read.”

 

Rebecca: “I guarantee you’ve never read a biography quite like this one. … It’s part journalistic exposé and part ‘love letter’; it’s part true crime and part ordinary life story. It considers gender, mental health, addiction, trauma and death. It’s also simply a terrific read that should draw in lots of people who wouldn’t normally pick up nonfiction.”

 

Photo by Annabel Gaskell.

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On Wednesday, at an evening ceremony at the Wellcome Collection, we will find out which book the official judges have chosen as the winner of the 10th anniversary prize. I have no idea who it will be!

Who are you rooting for?