Tuesday 28 July 2009

Man Booker Prize longlist announced

Some longlisted titles for the Man Booker Prize 2009

The longlist for the Man Booker Prize 2009 was announced today and contains 13 titles with authors ranging from previous winners A.S. Byatt and J.M. Coetzee to three Irish authors - Colm Toibin, William Trevor and first-time novelist Ed O'Loughlin.

The panel of judges includes Sue Perkins, Michael Prodger, John Mullen, Lucasta Miller and is chaired by James Naughtie. They have until 8 September to whittle the list down to the shortlist before announcing the winner on 6 October.

I am really excited by this list as it is so varied in theme and represents a broad range of literary style. It is my intention to read the longlist in time for the announcement on 6 October. I would like to run to the same timetable as the judges but I think faffing around will get in the way of me reading the list before 8 September. Wish me luck. I will start with Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall which I have heard so many good things about.

The Booker website is running a competition to win the new Vintage Booker collection which includes the following titles:

Amsterdam Ian McEwan
Disgrace J.M. Coetzee
How Late it Ws, How Late it Was James Kelman
Midnight's Children Salman Rushdie
Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha Roddy Doyle
Possession A.S. Byatt
The Famished Road Ben Okri
The Gathering Anne Enright
The Sea, The Sea Iris Murdoch

These titles with their beautiful new jackets will be published in August. The competition closes on 1 August so good luck!

4 comments:

  1. Good luck! I am also attempting the longlist. The diversity of the list excites me.
    I was lucky enough to be sent that Vintage collection by them and they are beautiful.

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  2. Hi!
    I am sooo behind already - I became distracted by Henrietta's War by Joyce Dennys but have just started Wolf Hall which is proving wonderful so far!
    Keep me posted about how you get on!

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  3. I was distracted by Henrietta's War too! I'm now reading Me Cheeta.

    I'll definitely keep you posted and happy to read good things about Wolf Hall.

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  4. Brilliant - I am very glad to hear that I am not the only one who goes off on literary tangents!

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