Booker shortlist 2010

[TheFifthElement]

So the Booker shortlist has been announced today. The following are in contention for the prize:

Parrot and Olivier in America (http://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/books/422) by Peter Carey

Room (http://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/books/423) by Emma Donoghue

In A Strange Room (http://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/books/425) by Damon Galgut

The Finkler Question (http://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/books/426) by Howard Jacobson

The Long Song (http://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/books/427) by Andrea Levy

C (http://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/books/428) by Tom McCarthy

So what do you think? Have you read any of the books on the list? If so, tell us what you think about them.

I've got 'C' to read, which I'll probably read next, and I very much like the sound of Room (which has a similar premise to a novel I was going to write but didn't, ho hum) and The Finkler Question. I also quite fancied The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas, which didn't make the shortlist, and may still pick that one up yet.

Any favourites for a winner? Cast your votes!

[David Lurie]

Just a few days ago I have ordered the Carey book at thebookdepository but I guess the winner will be announced before I will have the time to read it, anyway I am ready to discuss last year's shortlist if you want!

[Kyriakos]

Is this an english competition? And if so, are any of the books that won it in the past good in your opinnion? :)

[OrphanPip]

It's a British Commonwealth (and Ireland) competition, so the UK, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and the smaller former British colonies.

[David Lurie]

And if so, are any of the books that won it in the past good in your opinnion? :)

going backwards I'd say:

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel - she really brings Thomas Cromwell to life
The line of beauty by Alan Hollinghurst - AH write beautiful prose and characters and situations are unforgettable, great novel
Disgrace by Coetzee - a masterpiece
Amsterdam by McEwan
Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey
Midnight's children by Rushdie
The Siege of Krishnapur by Farrell

these are the past winners that I have appreciated and you can find a lot of good stuff in the Booker's shortlist - just like the overmentioned Cloud Atlas.

Now that I have read a little more about this year's shortlist I'd say that the writer between the shortlisted six who makes me willing to explore his opus is Damon Galgut, a few years ago he was shortlisted for the IMPAC award - there isn't an award more reliable than this - but I skipped his book at the time, I guess this is the right time to go after it, waitin' for the paperback of in a strange room.

[plainjane]

I haven't read any of this year's shortlist yet, but I also have to honestly say that none of them jump out to me. Here is an article that I found last week that gives some great insight on how the winner is chosen. There is a bit from someone on the judge's panel on each year since it's inception and the winner.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/sep/06/bookerprize.40years

[TheFifthElement]

So far I've read C by Tom McCarthy and Room by Emma Donoghue. They're both excellent books.

C is clever, very clever. Tom McCarthy is an excellent novelist. There's so much to it, the book is riddled with codes and signals, subtleties and things not quite said. C follows the story of Serge Carrefax, a boy born on the cusp of the technological revolution. Born into a strange family, Serge is a strange boy who becomes a strange man. I loved it. Strange, and compelling. I wouldn't be surprised if it won. Did I mention strange? And clever, best not forget that. I feel like I need to read it again because there are things I'll have missed.

Room I swallowed whole. Beautifully and carefully written, it too leaves much unsaid. I'd say I enjoyed it immensely but enjoyed is the wrong word. Inspired by the Joseph Fritzl story, this is the story of a boy, Jack, who was born in Room and who has only ever lived in or known Room. He sleeps on Bed or, when Old Nick comes, in Wardrobe. Outside is TV. Then he turns 5. Ma tells him about Outside, Real Outside, and they plan a daring escape from Room. Told from Jack' perspective, this is a riveting read from start to finish and it gives you a lot to think about, about perspectives, about experience, about separation and what intelligence means. About freedom, and how freedom is scary. And how we all must be scave (scared and brave, that's a word sandwich) when faced with a terrible situation. Brilliant. If you liked The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time you'd love this.

My money's on C, because if it's cleverness and intricacy, but I'd secretly love to see Room win because it moved me more. Oh, that's not a secret really, is it?

[hazelk]

I know thw question is to do with the short list, I have not read any of these, however I did read "Trespass" by Rose Tremain, this was on the long list.
The book was great, so different from others that she has written.

[TheFifthElement]

And The Finkler Question takes it! Congrats to Howard Jacobson for being the first writer of a comic (but serious) novel to win the prize.

And just to add, the BBC coverage of the prize ceremony was totally infuriating. Presenters yabbed over Andrew Motion's speech, then cut from Jacobson's speech (which was pretty funny) to get some live coverage of someone saying the Chilean miners' rescue will start in about an hour. Couldn't have waited 2 minutes huh?

[wessexgirl]

And The Finkler Question takes it! Congrats to Howard Jacobson for being the first writer of a comic (but serious) novel to win the prize.

And just to add, the BBC coverage of the prize ceremony was totally infuriating. Presenters yabbed over Andrew Motion's speech, then cut from Jacobson's speech (which was pretty funny) to get some live coverage of someone saying the Chilean miners' rescue will start in about an hour. Couldn't have waited 2 minutes huh?

I missed the coverage, (it sounds like I was lucky), but I'm pleased for Jacobson. I have the shortlist sitting on my desk at work, and have delved into all of them, three I will carry on reading and three I won't. Jacobson was definitely one of the "goodies", although I am a little surprised at him winning, not because the book is no good, but because I thought that "C" or the awful "Room", would win. I only read the first part and was irritated immensely by it. I know it's supposed to be the voice of a child, but it didn't work for me. The other two that I really like so far are the Levy and the Carey. I would love to know which one it beat 3 -2. Anyway, well done Howard, and as many would say, about time too.

[TheFifthElement]

Jacobson was definitely one of the "goodies", although I am a little surprised at him winning, not because the book is no good, but because I thought that "C" or the awful "Room", would win. I only read the first part and was irritated immensely by it. I know it's supposed to be the voice of a child, but it didn't work for me.

I utterly loved Room. I think it leaves you with a lot to think about, and it's pretty authentically done (I have a 6 year old, and the linguistic approach is recognisable). I think choosing to tell the story through the child's perspective was a bit of a master stroke.

I think pretty much everyone thought 'C' would win, myself included, but then I haven't read the whole list so it's hard to judge. The only shortlisted books which didn't interest me were Peter Carey's and Andrea Levy's, but the rest I will probably eventually get round to. Actually, after reading up a bit about Jacobson, I'm quite interested to read Kalooki Nights which appears to be considered Jacobson's best (if long).

I'd recommend watching the coverage online; it's bound to be miles better than the appauling lip service the BBC paid it.