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Booker Prize for Fiction
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2021 Booker Prize Shortlist Discussion
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Mohamed
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Oct 09, 2021 09:32AM
What a wonderful news! Congratulations !
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Congratulations! I recommend The Owl and the Pussycat for the next bookcase update!
That’s wonderful new! I’m so happy for you and your wife. Little Theo is adorable. It’s a whole new world when a baby is born. Our kids were big fans of Sandra Boynton.
My 25 yr old son just bought a house, my mother has given him the engagement/wedding rings my dad gave her, and he’s been dating the perfect girl for him for four years now. He needs to get things moving here, I want a baby in my life again!!!
Evaristo’s take on the joint run from her autobiography (quoted in the Guardian review - I have not read the book)“Two women, two races, two nations, two generations – two members of the human race.”
Tom, thanks for including us in your joyous news!
Evaristo is gracious, but that should not have been required of her.
What exciting news, Tom! I haven't been writing much lately, but I'm reading along and I'm making progress on the shortlist.
I know it’s not a place for asking this question, then forgive me. I just read “ when we cease to understand the world “, I couldn’t understand the schwarzchild singularity. Can you explain it in a more simple way?
We've a dedicated thread for the book - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... - so better over there. I'll reply over there
Apologies if already posted but I found this an interesting interview with the chair of judges discussing each book in quite some detail. https://fivebooks.com/best-books/the-...
Is there a consensus favorite among the betting markets?
Is anyone on the forum in easyish travel distance of London and would like a free ticket for the in person event this evening (or knows anyone else who might). I have three going which I can email to anyone who wants one or more of them.
I’ve only found two actual betting markets (and clearly I’m not a gambler because I’m not even sure how to read the page properly, plus the second one might just be reflecting the first) but what I saw was The Promise out front, followed by Bewilderment.Here’s the one I’m confident is an actual pool:
https://smarkets.com/event/42307961/t...
That’s about what I would have guessed. The Promise a slight favorite over Bewilderment, but the rest of the field collectively still at about 50/50.
I am going to be live streaming tonight’s event. Anyone else joining? GY, you and your daughters can’t make it?
I'll join the livestream as well, looking forward to seeing the authors together
If my private jet wasn’t in for repairs I’d take a ticket, GY.
You would need a time machine now Wendy so unless you are the new Doctor I think it won’t work.
Patricia Lockwood wanting to die as a martyr for understanding the internet (or eat it) is currently the most special moment if you'd ask me
Anyone else notice that five of the six authors read from a physical copy of the book and one (Lockwood) read from her phone? Made me chuckle, I must say.
Did she write it on her phone? A recent (and a lot lot better) book I read, by Lauren Elkin, was written with the Notes function on her iPhone each day, and published largely as written with minimal editing.
Yes she did not do that at the Womens Prize (She read from a book). I actually thought Nadifa Mohamed has spoken the most impressively tonight so far.
And that Lockwood gave the best reading.
She wrote a lot of the book on her phone yes but due to circumstances of being around her niece rather than on transport.
Has to be said the Elkin book read like it hadn’t really been edited ie random notes.
I do fear the tragedy of her niece may make this a 2014 repeat.
My daughter’s question was the first one. Led to an interesting discussion I felt - was particularly brave of Anuk to say he queries the importance of fiction. And Powers answer was brilliant.
I really liked Powers’ reading and his comments. I was very surprised by the passage Shipstead chose to read, given that I think the historical part of her novel is so much stronger than the modern part.
Cindy wrote: "I really liked Powers’ reading and his comments. I was very surprised by the passage Shipstead chose to read, given that I think the historical part of her novel is so much stronger than the modern..."Yes that had me baffled, the "high" scene that's almost universally lambasted in reviews. Let's say it's daring...
Self sabotage it felt like.
Henk wrote: "Cindy wrote: "I really liked Powers’ reading and his comments. I was very surprised by the passage Shipstead chose to read, given that I think the historical part of her novel is so much stronger..."Yes that had me baffled, the "high" scene that's almost universally lambasted in reviews. Let's say it's daring.."
Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Self sabotage it felt like."
I would generally leap to her defence in that the modern parts are what elevates the novel above mere historical fiction (a la Mantel say) and makes this stronger than several other on the short- and long-list
But other than introducing me to a new word ('shroom') even I can't defend that passage.
But she may be relying on Paul's booker rule number 3 (or whichever one it is) -i.e. given the judges long- then short-listed the book then they must be those responsible for the 'almost' in the 'almost universally lambasted' - and it's ultimately their opinion that matters, not anyone else's in terms of who wins, and indeed who sells most copies.
GY, please tell your Molly that I thought her question was superb. I enjoyed this event a great deal. I was really struck by Galgut’s comments about the absence of black voices in The Promise and his extremely careful choice of words throughout.
Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "My daughter’s question was the first one. Led to an interesting discussion I felt - was particularly brave of Anuk to say he queries the importance of fiction. And Powers answer was brilliant."Another one who queries the importance of fiction? I'm starting to feel it would be more revolutionary for someone to defend fiction...
Powers defended it very firmly. And thanks Cindy.
What was Mollie's question?I guess on questioning fiction, if this came from the Ishiguro remarks we've debated before, I thought he made (even if the interviewer missed) a very interesting point about fiction in an era of #fakenews and scepticism of science.
Incidentally is the recording available? Rather inconsiderate of the event to pick Halloween night.I've also completely lost track - when do we find out the winner? Presumably soon.
Recording like live event is available to buy for 7.50 from Southbank. There is a programme in bbc on Wednesday like last year with filmed dramatisations, last years winner and then the announcement.
Hoping the Guildhall Dinner is soon back - or wonder if that's lost permanently.
I suspect it may be lost - BBC I know seem to really like the new event
“In a world threatened by climate change, inequality, racism and COVID do we really need more factual writing. Or would the authors argue that engaged fiction is more important than ever. “
Great questionAnd yes to be fair going to the dinner (a one off) was great but it didn’t make for good TV. It was filmed as if TV was eavesdropping on a private dinner, which they basically were. I remember the year the presenters were talking in the balcony and missed that the prize had been announced.
Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "“In a world threatened by climate change, inequality, racism and COVID do we really need more factual writing. Or would the authors argue that engaged fiction is more important than ever. “"Your daughter asked this question? How old is Molly?
The moderator said she was 15. Blew my mind.
All the Front Row Booker Book Groups in one place and without needing to scroll through each days programme to find the Booker slothttps://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0b1...
So what is everyone’s prediction with almost exactly 24 hours to go. To kick things off ….
It seems like The Promise (Four Funerals And A Partheid) is the generally most common choice both with bookmakers and various articles/bloggers. I have kind of resigned myself to it happening.
But this week of all weeks the judges can’t help I feel being swayed towards Bewilderment - it would certainly get the most publicity and coverage for the prize and bookshops. And many of the obvious criticisms of it - it’s slight naivety and polemical nature, the character of Robin and his very black and white views on humanity and politicians - are rather harder to make with the real life Inger Alder all over the news.
The dark horse might be Fortune Men
Lockwood feels like it’s unlikely to be enough of a consensus choice and like the Womens Prize I think will end up shortlisted not winner
Passage North would seem an odd choice given everything the judges said about readability.
And I do not know what to say on the Great Circle as I cannot fathom it’s longlisting.
I think it has to be between The Promise and Bewilderment. I take your point on how topical Bewilderment is, this week more than ever before in the UK, but there has been a lot of negativity around the book, much to my surprise, including even suggestions that the father's choices amount to neglect, if not outright abuse, of Robin (which stunned me). Last year I felt as though there was a fair amount of consensus around Shuggie Bain in broader literary circles, and I see no consensus at all this year. I confess that I would love it if Lockwood won, but I agree completely that it's extremely unlikely. As I sit here, it's hard to imagine any of the four other books winning.
Most years I feel there is one title that stands out as a deserving winner. This year that isn't the case.I feel fairly confident that The Promise, Bewilderment, and The Fortune Men are the only contenders. I will be very shocked if one of the other books wins.
Personally, I hope that The Promise wins, but I'm going to put my play money on The Fortune Men.
The Mookse and the Gripes
Books mentioned in this topic
The Conservationist (other topics)Il conservatore (other topics)
Light Perpetual (other topics)
The Promise (other topics)
The Promise (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Anuk Arudpragasam (other topics)Damon Galgut (other topics)
Patricia Lockwood (other topics)
Nadifa Mohamed (other topics)
Richard Powers (other topics)
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