well tomorrow we find out who has made the longlist of the man booker prize 2011 .I was going do this earlier this evening but 2 hour power cut meant unable to blog so I ll fly through the book I ve heard about and reviews I ve seen over last few months ,so i ll give you a baker’s dozen –
At last – by Edward St Aubyn –
the latest in the partrick Melrose series to pay respects to his mother and another look other his past .
Strangers child by Alan Hollinghurst –
two poets lives and works tracked from 1912 to present day a look at what being a poet means and how history decides what there poems mean .
Wish you were here by Graham swift –
jack deals with his brother’s death in Iraq a look at modern english lives .
The girl in the polka dots dress by Beryl Bainbridge –
A girl from Kentish Town heads in 1968 to the cauldron of the US with Martin Luther King dying ,maybe one last chance for Beryl hey .
Pure by Andrew Miller –
Set in 1785 a young man must clear an old cemetery whilst watching his own back .slightly different hope it makes list one that appeals to me .
Last man in the tower by Aravinda Adiga –
a building needs to be cleared in Bombay but there is one man stopping this as old and new india clash .
Waterline By Ross Rasin
well I ve heard Joe from Penguin go on about this book ,as a friend of my father owned a shipyard this one appeals to me ,it is about Mick his journey out of the shipyards ,about love and loss .
The forgotten waltz by Anne Enright –
Gina has a love affair with Sean ,passion desire and memories all crop up in this book it seems .set in Dublin ,has to be a Irish writer on booker list .
Other people’s money by Justin Cartwright –
the fall of a family owned private bank told from two generations point of view ,Justin sold this to me when I heard a radio interview ,seems to catch the spirit of the time a bit .
We had it so good by Linda Grant –
I think every blog review of this book has been positive ,set in 1968 it follows middle class people over the next forty years ,through main character Stephen an American living in Britain .
Cedilla by Adam Mars Jones –
The continuing story of John Cromer from his earlier book ,I ve this on my tbr pile like fact main character has a disability something you don’t often see in books .
London Triptych by Jonathan Kemp –
three mens lives and affairs in 50’s london against a backdrop of a gay underground and art world .This sounds different to me when I read a few reviews .
Embassytown by China Mieville –
Well I ve put this on as I m feed up of the whining from sci-fi readers that he misses the list year after year and the fact it does sounds like a great read ,an alien world humans modify to communicate with the life form on the planet .It seems to be about our lives using the alien world as a tool for our world and its problems .
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK BE THERE ?
WHAT YOU MAKE OF MY CHOICES ?
Jul 25, 2011 @ 23:45:51
Hi Stu. Think yours is a very sensible selection. I have never tried predictions before but I would echo your Hollinghust and Swift.
Jul 26, 2011 @ 00:16:25
Other books I thought were excellent this year, tho I don’t know they would make list though I think they qualify are
22 Britannia Road- Amanda Hodgkinson
My Dear I wanted to Tell You – Louisa Young
When God Was A Rabbit – Sarah Winman
the Post Mistress – Sarah Blake
The Hand That First Held Mine Maggie Ofarrell
The last 2 may have been published before the start of the period.
I certainly think they are all up to standard and or originality of Room and the Long Song from last year. But then I’m o judge!,
Jul 26, 2011 @ 00:18:51
I can’t even guess what the nominations will be, but I am certainly excited to find out. Great list!
Jul 27, 2011 @ 21:31:22
After list is out doesn’t look like I can ,all the best stu
Jul 26, 2011 @ 03:30:41
Interesting list! I’d love to see Mieville on the Booker list! I haven’t read Embassy Town, but if it is anything like his others then it does deserve to be there.
I’m afraid that the Bainbrdge isn’t eligible as the author has to be alive. 😦
Otherwise it looks as though we more or less agree on the Booker list. I look forward to seeing what happens later today.
Jul 27, 2011 @ 21:31:50
we both got it wrong a real shock list Jackie ,all the best stu
Jul 26, 2011 @ 04:05:37
Interesting prediction, Stu! It is nice to see that Alan Hollinghurst has come out with his new novel. His prose is so wonderful! ‘Waterline’ sounds like an interesting book from your description. I love the cover of the book! I will add it to my ‘TBR’ list. I loved Linda Grant’s ‘When I Lived in Modern Times’. I hope she gets shortlisted again this year. Looking forward to the Booker shortlist today 🙂
Jul 27, 2011 @ 21:30:23
Me too ,was shock by actual long list ,all the best stu
Jul 26, 2011 @ 06:31:21
I’d like to see Barry Unsworth’s sequel to Booker-winning Sacred Hunger on the list. It’s also time that A L Kennedy was recognised.
Jul 27, 2011 @ 21:29:39
I think Unsworth has been overlooked in past a few times thaty why I missed him ,all the best stu
Jul 26, 2011 @ 10:25:12
I’ve not read any of them, but do have Other People’s Money and Pure in my TBR pile…
Jul 26, 2011 @ 10:49:22
great selections. I would welcome most of them on to my shelf. The one by Arvind Adiga would be my first choice even though I haven’t heard of any of these books previously.
Jul 27, 2011 @ 21:28:48
I like his first two books he is the new voice of India and this like his others is about the old and new india clashing ,all the best stu
Jul 26, 2011 @ 11:48:28
I guess you agree with the guardian on about 33.3% of the books. They actually mentioned Swift and Mielville and gave reasons why they won’t make the long-list. I am also waiting …
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2011/jul/25/booker-prize-dozen-predictions-longlist?CMP=twt_gu
Jul 27, 2011 @ 21:27:48
well we were all wrong Nana in the end ,all the best stu
Jul 26, 2011 @ 18:55:16
my younger juvenile self wants the sci fi & is sulking because my older wiser “coughs” likes the sound of the Hollinghurst or the Raisin ones.
Jul 27, 2011 @ 21:27:22
I like sound of rasin just shame I only got one right lol ,all the best stu
Jul 26, 2011 @ 19:33:13
A fascinating list and fun to ponder. I hope all of these will make it to the U.S.
Judith (Reader in the Wilderness)
Jul 27, 2011 @ 21:26:45
I think a lot of them will Judith ,all the best stu
Jul 27, 2011 @ 12:38:19
Stu, if only they’d listened to you! The list they fashioned is not good. What did you make of it?
Jul 27, 2011 @ 21:26:07
Thank lee for comment ,well they’ve caught us all out ,I think its a very brave list ,bold but there has been a number of good books missed I think some of the ones I mentioned on a number of of prediction lists ,I like the fact they pick some smaller publishers always a good thing but on whole maybe a step to far from normal booker list ,all the best stu
Jul 27, 2011 @ 22:15:23
Your shortlist looks more interesting than the ones announced. I look forward to Linda Grant’s book you mentioned and Adiga’s book sounds nice too! Thanks for the prediction. Better than what I can do, because I have no clue what is out there!
Jul 27, 2011 @ 22:55:16
well one right wasn’t great but I felt mine was a good list ,all the best stu