I know you're going to be seeing this everywhere, but the longlist for this year's Man Booker Prize was announced today and I couldn't help but mention it.
I haven't really followed this prize since 2006, but I still like to see what gets name-checked.
The longlist is:
- The Yips by Nicola Barker (Fourth Estate)
- The Teleportation Accident by Ned Beauman (Sceptre)
- Philida by André Brink (Harvill Secker)
- The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng (Myrmidon Books)
- Skios by Michael Frayn (Faber & Faber)
- The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce (Doubleday)
- Swimming Home by Deborah Levy (And Other Stories)
- Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel (Fourth Estate)
- The Lighthouse by Alison Moore (Salt)
- Umbrella by Will Self (Bloomsbury)
- Narcopolis by Jeet Thayil (Faber & Faber)
- Communion Town by Sam Thompson (Fourth Estate)
My initial impression? It's a hugely British list — the only "foreigners" are one Malaysian, one South African and one Indian. Where are the Canadians, the Australians, the Irish?
But the upside? It's nice to see some independent publishers in the mix. Plus, I own several of these books already — The Garden of Evening Mists, Skios and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry — so perhaps it's time I nudged them a little higher up the TBR?
Who do I think will win it? I have no idea... but as a long shot, how about Nicola Barker?
What do you think of this list? Have you read any books on it?
