Gaiutra Bahadur’s Coolie Woman shortlisted for Orwell Prize

Gaiutra Bahadur

Guyanese-born American journalist Gaiutra Bahadur’s first book Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture has been shortlisted for the Orwell Prize, a prestigious British literary award for political writing.

The shortlist consists of six books chosen from 235 entries and seven journalists from 167 entries, a press release said. The prize was set up in honour of George Orwell and the award is given to the book and journalism entry which comes closest to his ambition “to make political writing into an art.” The two £3,000 awards will be announced at a special anniversary party on May 21.

The shortlist reads: Coolie Woman by Gaiutra Bahadur; The Tragedy of Liberation by Frank Dikötter; The World’s Most Dangerous Place by