2020 Booker Prize Speculation

[Nicholas]

The copy of Rainbow Milk I ordered from Alibris over a month ago just showed up on my doorstep. I think it’s a sign.

[Vesna]

Ang wrote: "Vesna, I haven't made a prediction list but I would definitely like to see Actress on the longlist."

Thank you Ang, Karen Michele, and others who praised Actress. This moved it way up my TBR tall!) stack.

Re: positive surprises & indie press - perhaps Only a Lodger that is #1 on Paul Fulcher's list... (I haven't yet read it but it gets my vote, it's by my namesake :-))

[John]

On Actress I liked it well enough but for me not quite up there with Hamnet or M&TL, yup I'm an unapologetic Mantel fanboy lol! But I can also see how M&TL could miss based on arguments about similarity to previous two etc. I find them distinctively different and all contribuitng different qualities to the trilogy, but then I'm a fan.

[Ella]

I'm really pleased to see The Vanishing Half mentioned. I was a fan of The Mothers, but this is several rungs above it in my mind. It's already haunting me in good ways. Seeing it in the mentions makes me happy.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Wow some real surprises

[Robert]

Wellll

[MisterHobgoblin]

Can someone cut and paste the list?

[Trevor]

The New Wilderness by Diane Cook (US)
This Mournable Body by Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe)
Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi (US)
Who They Was by Gabriel Krauze (UK)
The Mirror and The Light by Hilary Mantel (UK)
Apeirogon by Colum McCann (Ireland-US)
The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste (Ethiopia-US)
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid (US)
Real Life by Brandon Taylor (US)
Redhead by The Side of the Road by Anne Tyler (US)
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart (Scotland-US)
Love and Other Thought Experiments by Sophie Ward (UK)
How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang (US)

[Antonomasia, Admin only]

Robert wrote: "Wellll"

Well done on Shuggie Bain & How Much of these Hills, remember seeing those on your blog the other day

[Hugh, Active moderator]

That is an interesting list! I have only read two so I have catching up to do!

[Trevor]

Okay folks, the longlist discussion thread is open. I'll close this one and you can react there -- here!

[Jen]

A few surprises here!

[Robert]

Antonomasia wrote: "Robert wrote: "Wellll"

Well done on Shuggie Bain & How Much of these Hills, remember seeing those on your blog the other day"

Thanks!