2021 Booker Prize Speculation Showing 401-450 of 1,196

[Roman Clodia]

Cindy wrote: "How to Find Your Way in the Dark (the new Derek Miller)"

Hurrah - lucky you! Have you read this yet, Cindy? I see it's a sort of prequel to Norwegian by Night.

[Tom]

Cindy, if you’ve already read Cloud Cuckoo Land, I would take you up on your offer if it’s not too much trouble. I’ll happily reimburse you for shipping and send it back when I’m done. I also read very carefully, so it will be good as new!

[Cindy]

Tom wrote: "Cindy, if you’ve already read Cloud Cuckoo Land, I would take you up on your offer if it’s not too much trouble. I’ll happily reimburse you for shipping and send it back when I’m done. I also read ..."

I have not read it yet but plan to read it quite soon and would be more than happy to send it to you Tom. Let me know where.

[Cindy]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Cindy wrote: "How to Find Your Way in the Dark (the new Derek Miller)"

Hurrah - lucky you! Have you read this yet, Cindy? I see it's a sort of prequel to Norwegian by Night."

Yes, it is. We get all of Sheldon's backstory. I loved Norwegian by Night and the sequel American by Day and was very excited to learn about the prequel.

[WndyJW]

My friend lives in Roosevelt NJ and someone near her leaves ARCs in their small post office so she picks them up for me when she sees any. That’s how I got The Dry Heart.

I like ARCs because feel like they’re the very first incarnation of a story. They’re not as valuable as 1st edition/1st print, but they should be.

[John]

Just wondering what will totally surprise us on the list this year as the judges New Wilderness pick 😀

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Well if they want more of a pleasant surprise and to pick some debut novels they could do worse than look at the Desmond Elliott shortlist announced today

[Paul]

Liar’s Dictionary already missed out I think ie a last year book. Other two are contenders though and Little Scratch really should be there.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

True re Liar's Dictionary - although could she not re-issue the book with a faked publication date and hope no one notices (that would fit the book nicely)

Agree re Little Scratch - I would like to see that and Assembly as a way of examining the world of office work which is under-served in literature in my view as well as dealing with some very difficult social issues

[Cindy]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "True re Liar's Dictionary - although could she not re-issue the book with a faked publication date and hope no one notices (that would fit the book nicely)

Agree re Little Scratch - I would like t..."

Hard to see Manningtree Witches as a Booker book, though.

[Tracy]

I just finished Lean Fall Stand. Wow. I’ll post a review soon- I received an ARC, since it won’t be published in the US until September.

If this isn’t long listed, I’ll be surprised.

[WndyJW]

I have exactly 100 pgs left in The Other Black Girl and feel certain that I know exactly what is happening, but I must be wrong since Roman Claudio and GY both said there’s a twist.

I don’t see this as Booker book though, it’s more of a Woman’s Prize I think. The writing is good, by which I mean it’s not bad, it doesn’t distract from the story in any way; I care about Nella, the protagonist, and really don’t like the woman I am not supposed to like.

I told my co-worker/friend/reader to hurry up and read it so we can talk about it and told her the power hungry OBG didn’t surprise me because for 20 yrs I’ve heard, “you know how Black women are” from my Black co-workers. Of course, my reply is always that the same competitive meanness can be found in all races and genders.

[WndyJW]

Ok, so I did not see that ending. I have to sit with it and decide what I think, but it will definitely generate serious discussions. I heard a discussion of The Other Black Girl on Waterstone’s podcast, but it was among white women and I am eager to hear what Black women and Black men think about it.

[Jo]

Natasha Brown is on at Hay Festival tonight at 10pm. Haven't read Assembly yet as I am on The Other Black Girl atm. Assembly up next though.

For those of us who enjoy book collecting: Assembly and Little Scratch are available in signed editions from the Hay Festival online shop.

Little Scratch is on my list after Assembly.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Tracy wrote: "I just finished Lean Fall Stand. Wow. I’ll post a review soon- I received an ARC, since it won’t be published in the US until September.

If this isn’t long listed, I’ll be surprised."

It certainly deserves to be, but after last year nothing is a certainty.

[Paul]

I'm a bit of an outlier on Lean Fall Stand perhaps, I thought it was quite disappointing, in part as I had such high expectations after Reservoir 13. I hope there are 13 better English language books to pick - indeed I've already read 13 I'd put ahead of this and I don't read that much English language literature.

[Areeb]

Jo wrote: "Natasha Brown is on at Hay Festival tonight at 10pm. Haven't read Assembly yet as I am on The Other Black Girl atm. Assembly up next though.

For those of us who enjoy book collecting: Assembly an..."

I believe it's a session with Meena Kandasamy so really looking forward!

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Hugh wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I just finished Lean Fall Stand. Wow. I’ll post a review soon- I received an ARC, since it won’t be published in the US until September.

If this isn’t long listed, I..."

Agreed - I thought it was excellent. I loved Reservoir 13 but this is more for fans of McGregor's wider work like "Even The Dogs"

[Cindy]

Hugh wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I just finished Lean Fall Stand. Wow. I’ll post a review soon- I received an ARC, since it won’t be published in the US until September.

If this isn’t long listed, I..."

Hugh, I agree with you completely. After last year's list, I think predictions are almost impossible.

[Emmeline]

I'm trying to remember now... what were the ones that readers here thought should definitely make last years' list but didn't? I remember the list was a surprise, I just can't remember what the alternatives were.

[Paul]

Some of those mentioned a lot were: Hamnet, Vanishing Half, Summer, Weather, Strange Hotel, Utopia Avenue, The Water Dancer, The Liar’s Dictionary, That Reminds Me, Actress, My Dark Vanessa

And anything from Australia/New Zealand!

Hamnet was probably biggest surprise

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Emily wrote: "I'm trying to remember now... what were the ones that readers here thought should definitely make last years' list but didn't? I remember the list was a surprise, I just can't remember what the alt..."

Some of the ones that missed out:

Hamnet, The Vanishing Half, Rainbow Milk, That Reminds Me, Summer, Weather, Strange Hotel, Utopia Avenue, The Water Dancer, That Reminds Me, The Liar's Dictionary, Actress.

The ones that made it and were widely tipped were Apeirogon, Shuggie Bain and The Mirror & the Light

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Sorry Paul, you must have posted that while I was compiling my list.

[Paul]

Good to see we had a similar list! Indeed I think I added My Dark Vanessa and forgot Rainbow Milk.

[Navi]

Hi everyone! When will the longlist be announced? I am unable to find the date/time on the Booker website for some reason.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

I don't think the date has been confirmed yet

[Navi]

Oh that makes sense then! :)

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

It has not been no - hoping now they can get to it now the BI is out of the way and maybe also show shortlist and award dates.

But as we have discussed many times the Booker social media etc is notoriously bad.

[Emmeline]

Hugh wrote: "Emily wrote: "I'm trying to remember now... what were the ones that readers here thought should definitely make last years' list but didn't? I remember the list was a surprise, I just can't remembe..."

Ah thanks to you both. Yes, I remember discussing many of those now.

[Paul]

Silly strapline ("the 50 hottest new books everyone should read") aside, this is a good overview of new fiction in the UK this summer, including a number of books mentioned here as Booker contenders (albeit perhaps some a little more lightweight than the prize typically picks):

https://www.theguardian.com/books/202...

Removing the 2 (only 2!) translations, 1 story collection and c.20 non-fiction books leaves the following as Booker contenders:

No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Luster by Raven Leilani
The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex
The Great Mistake by Jonathan Lee
Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
How to Kidnap the Rich by Rahul Raina
Second Place by Rachel Cusk
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
A Net for Small Fishes by Lucy Jago
Girl A by Abigail Dean
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford
The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox
My Phantoms by Gwendoline Riley
Daughters of Night by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
In. by Will McPhail
Luckenbooth by Jenni Fagan
The Manningtree Witches by AK Blakemore
A River Called Time by Courttia Newland
The Rules of Revelation by Lisa McInerney
This One Sky Day by Leone Ross
Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
Slough House by Mick Herron
Animal by Lisa Taddeo
The Startup Wife by Tahmima Anam

[Jo]

Thanks for sharing, Paul!

Some I can think of that are missing are:

Lean Fall Stand
Bewilderment
The Lincoln Highway
The Harlem Shuffle

Would be interested to hear what others feel is missing?

[Nicole D.]

Patricia Lockwood is amazing. Out of Paul's list, I've read

the Lockwood
Klara
Luster
Girl A
reading: Animal

Not sure I see any of those as "Booker" - maybe the Lockwood.

[Jo]

Ooooh also

Cloud Cuckooland
The Magician
The Book of Form and Emptiness
Case Study
The Island of Missing Trees
The Women of Troy

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Worth checking if they are on the listopia and if not adding them plus also voting there if you have not already.

[WndyJW]

I think I need to read Lockwood’s. Is it really Booker level, although who knows what that is after The New Wilderness and The Testament. I’m surprised no one has mentioned Unsettled Ground here. I liked Luckenbooth, but it wouldn’t have been Booker worthy (worthy is an unpleasant word when talking about books, but..) years ago.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

You may not like it - as some people can't get past the Twitter part, but it is I think definitely Booker level (and I am not sure that this panel of judges - who I have to say seem a little conventional even conservative with a small C - will like it).

She is an extremely insightful and intelligent writer and commentator (she writes for example of the London Review of Books which is about as high brow as magazine as you can get).

But she also posts regularly memes on Twitter (which is about as low brow as you can get).

[WndyJW]

I’ve been fighting a Twitter addiction for some time now; I don’t know if that will make the book resonate with me or repulse me. I have heard so much about it though that I’m curious. Maybe I’ll wait and see if it is longlisted.

[Jo]

I really liked the Lockwood. Thought provoking and original. The editing was impeccable. It definitely deserves a place on the Longlist but I don't see it winning.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Agreed.

I can’t see past Assembly currently

[Cindy]

I saw the Guardian article this morning as well and was struck by how many Booker-worthy titles were in it. But of course it doesn't include any novels that aren't coming out soon, so several of the books we've been speculating about are not on it.

I definitely think the Lockwood is Booker level (the writing is astonishingly good), but I don't know that I see this judging panel choosing it. I may not make it until September when Assembly is released in the US. I may have to break down and buy it now.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

I would say The Assembly is very U.K. centric. I really struggle to get all the nuances of some books about race relations set in the US and this may be the reverse.

[Cindy]

That just made it even more interesting to me, GY, as I know quite little about race relations in the UK.

[WndyJW]

How did you feel about the race issues in The Other Black Girl, GY? I assumed diversity trainings, and the slights and micro aggressions Nella experienced would be the same in the UK. Actually, the only stark difference I can think of is all the murders by police of unarmed black men and women in the US.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

It is more the cultural references that are different
Assembly is very much about class for example

[Jo]

Does any one have any thoughts on Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason?

GY, can't wait to read Assembly. Loved listening to Natasha Brown speak at the Hay Festival: articulate, intelligent and immensely observant.

[Paul]

I was a little concerned Assembly might be too personally resonant (*) for me for universal appeal, but it appears to be gaining widespread acclaim.

* author (and implicitly narrator) is a Cambridge pure mathematicican from a working class background who worked in an investment bank - as am I. Indeed what makes it fascinating is that the big difference is I am a white male - and the privilige that gives transforms the experience completely from that of the narrator.

[Paul]

Assembly does seem a strong contender. As of now I'd also have Sterling Karat Gold (probably wishful thinking though for Booker to pick this), Aphasia, Dead Souls, This One Sky Day, The Yield, Second Place, and little scratch as strong contenders.

Big gap from them to the other eligible books I've read - my rankings here - https://www.goodreads.com/list/user_v... - another advantage of the Listopia is to be able to rank the books (bottom ones though are unread eg the Lockwood which GY has failed miserably to pass on as promised)

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

I think unfortunately that's effectively a Goldsmith shortlist with Booker eligibility

[Paul]

Yes am I projecting what I think the Booker should look for rather than what they do. Incidentally I see on Twitter that the author of one of those books (Aphasia) is currently reading another (Dead Souls) and enjoying it a lot albeit that probably reinforces the narrowness of my taste.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Yes - you should change your profile picture to a dog also (a Swiss one with a barrel hung round its neck)