This year’s shortlist for the Man Booker Prize has been announced:
- We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo (Chatto and Windus)
- The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton (Granta)
- Harvest by Jim Crace (Picador)
- The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri (Bloomsbury)
- A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki (Canongate)
- The Testament of Mary by Colm Tóibín (Penguin)
Of course, I’m delighted that The Luminaries has made it to the shortlist (click on the link above if you’d like to read more about why it is one of my favourite books of the year). More generally, I really like this as a shortlist: there are some interesting books, and it is properly diverse and international.
As to whether I’ll read the shortlist before the winner is announced on 15 October… I might have a go, actually; after all, I’ve read the longest one already, and most of the others are relatively short. I will update the above list with links to any reviews I write. In the meantime, congratulations to all the authors and publishers concerned.
10th September 2013 at 4:16 pm
Like you, I have only read one, We Need New Names and after reading your review (well and of course being a New Zealander also helps) I’m really keen to read The Luminaries. I see Eleanor Cattonis at the Southbank tonight, what a great evening that is bound to be!
10th September 2013 at 8:44 pm
Wow! Your review of The Luminaries is certainly glowing. I think anybody reading it would be tempted to pick that one up! Eleanor Catton is a new name to me, I must admit, but The Rehearsal also sounds like a really unique prospect so I will certainly be investigating her novels. I quite fancy reading We Need New Names too.