The Man Booker Longlist 2009:
A. S. Byatt The Children's Book
J. M. Coetzee Summertime
Adam Foulds The Quickening Maze
Sarah Hall How to paint a dead man
Samantha Harvey The Wilderness
James Lever Me Cheeta
Hilary Mantel Wolf Hall
Simon Mawer The Glass Room
Ed O'Loughlin Not Untrue and Not Unkind
James Scudamore Heliopolis
Colm Tóibín Brooklyn
William Trevor Love and Summer
Sarah Waters The Little Stranger
"These are books that readers will want to get their hands on", says chairman of the judges, James Naughtie (more from him here).
I've read only the Byatt and the Scudamore, and I'd say both are ambitious but not without flaws (I'm looking forward to the William Trevor, though). Anyone read any of the others? And am I the only person in the world (yet again!) not to have read any Sarah Waters?
I've read 5 of them and really hope Wilderness wins. I've just ordered the rest of the list and look forward to reading them all.
You really should read some Waters - Fingersmith especially - it is a masterpiece.
Posted by: Jackie (Farm Lane Books) | 28 July 2009 at 05:21 PM
Sarah Waters: I've only read The Night Watch and liked it very much, probably because of its wartime setting. I'm seeing a lot of copies in charity shops at the moment.
Posted by: Barbara | 28 July 2009 at 05:35 PM
What Jackie said (about The Wilderness AND about Fingersmith)!
Posted by: Claire (Paperback Reader) | 28 July 2009 at 06:39 PM
No, you are not the only one. :<) And not only have I not read Sarah Waters, I've never read any of the authors on the list, and the only book I've heard of is Brooklyn.
Posted by: Nan | 28 July 2009 at 07:18 PM
Byatt is the only author on that list whose work I have read. I haven't read any of the books on that list, but I have lived briefly in Heliopolis. Probably I don't read much anymore. I am not intending to take up the gaunlet thrown down by Naughtie either!
Non-reading Cat
Posted by: Dark Puss | 28 July 2009 at 07:29 PM
I've actually read two and am working on a third-this is a first for me. I love Sarah Waters and highly recommend her--I think The Little Stranger is my favorite. I also greatly admired Colm Toibin's Brooklyn and am working on the Byatt. I'm not sure about the rest of the list, but the Trevor also appeals to me.
Posted by: Danielle | 28 July 2009 at 09:22 PM
Haven't read Sarah Waters either and have only heard of her from book bloggers, so reading her soon.
Posted by: claire | 28 July 2009 at 11:10 PM
My husband has just finished The Little Stranger so yup, I think you may be one of the last to read it. I'm looking forward to reading the William Trevor book as well.
Posted by: Darlene | 28 July 2009 at 11:56 PM
YOU WILL LOVE SARAH W! I am prepared to bet you a fiver! Try FINGERSMITH and then the Night Watch and Little Stranger. You will not be sorry.
BROOKLYN is a terrific book! Really would love it to win but I have not yet read Wolf Hall and I bet that's superb, too. Glad I don't have to decide....
Posted by: adele geras | 29 July 2009 at 10:56 AM
I have read one Waters book (Night Watch), and quite honestly, cannot understand why everyone loves this woman. I thought the story was thin and all of the characters needy and pathetic. So, I would not worry about not reading this author - there are too many books to read to worry about Sarah Waters. On the other hand, I, too, am looking forward to reading the new William Trevor novel. Although I prefer his stories to his novels, I am avidly awaiting my library copy.
Posted by: Karol/New York City | 29 July 2009 at 04:06 PM
Oh you should definately read some Waters, I wouldnt say that this latest is her finest moment, its a retrospective grower if you know what I mean, very well written but not the ghost story that we were promised!
Posted by: Simon S | 29 July 2009 at 09:54 PM
Rest assured you are not the only one to not have yet read the Sarah Waters.
Posted by: ted | 30 July 2009 at 11:27 PM
Sarah Waters' Fingersmith is fabulous, and I liked Affinity and The Night Watch too.
As for the rest of the Booker list, I've only read 'Me Cheetah' and consider it one of the most over-hyped books of the decade - amusing initally but repetitive. A fun pastiche of celebrity autobiography/memoir but couldn't see why they loved it so much on Newsnight Review last night - or why it's on the Booker: fun but flimsy. A case of the Emperor's New Clothes?
Posted by: Helen | 01 August 2009 at 03:46 PM
I also am a member of the not yet read Sarah Walters group and don't have any plans to resign soon
Posted by: Elaine | 03 August 2009 at 10:37 PM