THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE - The Shortlist

[Damian North]

So the shortlist was revealed today for The Man Booker Prize -

A US Pulitzer Prize-winner and two British authors are among the six writers shortlisted for this year's Man Booker Prize.

The winner is announced on 13 October.

The shortlist of authors and titles is as follows:

Marlon James (Jamaica), A Brief History of Seven Killings

Tom McCarthy (UK), Satin Island

Chigozie Obioma (Nigeria), The Fishermen

Sunjeev Sahota (UK), The Year of the Runaways

Anne Tyler (US), A Spool of Blue Thread

Hanya Yanagihara (US), A Little Life

On my blog www.damiannorth.com I have posted a short synopsis on each book, just to give you a flavour of what their plots are about.

Get reading - you only have 4 weeks.

 

[Brian Clegg]

I have to say I'm not inspired to start when I read that the books on the shortlist are 'relentlessly grim.' I get enough relentlessly grim from the news without suffering it in fiction as well...

 

[Damian North]

That's a good point Brian - Still would you not love to be nominated?

 

[Brian Clegg]

That's a good point Brian - Still would you not love to be nominated?

My personal aim tends to be more to be nominated for the Royal Society Prize for Science Books, but in terms of selecting fiction to read, 'relentlessly grim' is not a recommendation that encourages me to pick a book up...

 

[Katie-Ellen]

I'm trying to cast a second vote based on plot, for The Fisherman. Self fulfilling prophecies, eh?