On the longlist for this year's Man Booker Prize are:
Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
Sebastian Barry, On Canaan's Side
Carol Birch, Jamrach's Menagerie
Patrick deWitt, The Sisters Brothers
Esi Edugyan, Half Blood Blues
Yvette Edwards, A Cupboard Full of Coats
Alan Hollinghurst, The Stranger's Child
Stephen Kelman, Pigeon English
Patrick McGuinness, The Last Hundred Days
A.D. Miller, Snowdrops
Alison Pick, Far to Go
Jane Rogers, The Testament of Jessie Lamb
D.J. Taylor, Derby Day
From a list which includes a former winner, Alan Hollinghurst, and four authors - Kelman, Miller, Edwards and McGuinness - making their debuts, I have five of the thirteen books, but have read only one so far, and that is Snowdrops, which I thought was good but not great. I'm very pleased to see D.J. Taylor there, however, as I am a fan of his work and would expect Derby Day to be a dazzler.
The shortlist will be announced on 6th. September.
Interesting and unusual shortlist! SO pleased about Jane Rogers who is a wonderful writer and I hope Faber are kicking themselves at this very moment! Sandstone are up in the Highlands and I'm thrilled that they're on the list with Jane's book. I have the Hollinghurst here waiting to be read and it looks v. tempting. Also glad to see a Thriller on the list! Hurray.
Posted by: adele geras | 26 July 2011 at 05:23 PM
Yes, great news for a small publisher, and what a boost for the lesser known writers on the list.
Posted by: Cornflower | 26 July 2011 at 05:37 PM
I picked up "Snowdrops" from the library last week, so that's at least one on the list I will have read. I didn't get along brilliantly with the only D. J. Taylor novel I have read to date, but your enthuasiasm for his work has registered at the back of my mind and now been brought to front courtesy of the Booker Prize panel.
Posted by: David73277 | 27 July 2011 at 09:30 PM
In the middle of reading The Sisters Brothers and really enjoying it, but then I love westerns and this is a quirky one!
Also reading D J Taylor's Ask Alice and enjoying that too but unfortunately the print in the paperback version that I have from the library is very small, and since I do most of my reading in the evening and my eyes are quite tired anyway, I find that I can't read a lot of pages at a time which is a bit frustrating! I like the sound of Derby Day though.
I've also read a couple of Jane Rogers' books a while ago, and recall enjoying them so I will look out for her too.
Probably the kiss of death for all of them as I usually only like a small proportion of Booker winners and as I really liked Wolf Hall that is probably my quota for the moment!
Posted by: LizF | 28 July 2011 at 12:47 PM
I recently read A Cupboard Full of Coats and reviewed it here, with an interview with the author. I enjoyed it very much and am happy to recommend it - http://www.tricia-blackbooknews.com/2011/07/interview-with-yvvette-edwards.html
I bought Pigeon English earlier this year, but have yet to open it. Not sure, but I do often have books unread until their 'moment' is right for me.
Posted by: Tricia | 30 July 2011 at 07:03 PM
Many thanks for the link, Tricia, and you're right about the moment having to be right, I think.
Posted by: Cornflower | 30 July 2011 at 09:52 PM