2022 Booker Prize longlist discussion

[Stuart]

I have read 5 so far and have enjoyed them all. Ordered 8 remaining from Blackwell’s. This year it was pretty easy as all but one are available and that last one is next week… I doubt I would finish the other seven in that time anyway!! Thank you all for the comments and ratings… it really helps some of us clueless souls!!

[Stacia]

Paul wrote: "I realise that I have read the previous novel by Shehan Karunatilaka - Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew. But that was 12 years ago and other than it was about cricket I remember little about ..."

I haven't read the Pradeep Mathew book, but I do have it. My son gave it to me a few months ago. (He likes to find "strange" books for me & this is one he came up with.) I just ordered Seven Moons so hopefully I'll get it in a few weeks.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Ordered the remaining 10 from Blackwells - £123.74 so I'd better not buy anything else before the Goldsmiths list!

[Mohamed]

Cindy wrote: "I have to say that Trees and After Sappho are the two books of the five I have not read that I am most looking forward to."

me either, and this one as well The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida

[Hugh, Active moderator]

On my way to my first face to face book group since 2020 now, at Five Leaves. The book is The Island of Missing Trees, and I haven't found time to reread it. Suspect they will do the traditional Booker winner in December.

[Robert]

Let the videos begin: https://youtu.be/VG1HDV6zLVo

[Cindy]

Robert wrote: "Let the videos begin: https://youtu.be/VG1HDV6zLVo"

A great way to begin! Here is Eric Karl Anderson's summary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJXr7...

[Chris]

Hi all - I am very excited! I've only read two (Small Things and Maps) but am excited to read more.

I have a question. I've had a few mental health issues recently and it's made it harder for me to focus on reading. If anybody has thoughts on which books are a bit more straightforward /easier to digest please let me know. Hopefully checking a few of those off will then motivate me to go for some of the more challenging ones on the list later. Thank you!

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Booth
Oh William

Would be a good start

[Lark]

Chris wrote: "If anybody has thoughts on which books are a bit more straightforward /easier to digest please let me know. .."

Booth and Oh, William! would be my first guess.

The Trees is straightforward in the way it is written but a little tangly about what it all means.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Reaction is overall it seems very positive.

The only thing I can see to criticise is the lack of geographic diversity - a shame after the Booker remembered Canada, Aus/NZ existed let alone other areas.

6 US authors plus one who lived there the last 20 or more years
5 UK/Ireland

Leaving just 1 from the rest of the world.

[Chris]

Thank you both!

[Areeb]

I have just found out that Seven Moons was published way back in India, in 2020 to be specific, under a different name which is why it did not click for me before and it appeared unknown. I will go get a copy although I won't be able to get to it for months.

[David]

I believe it was published as Chats with the Dead.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

And as after 1 October 2019 no eligibility issues.

[Kathleen]

At the moment Small Things Like These is $1 at Audible US as part of a sale.

[David]

Chris, you would enjoy Trust as well. The first section is very straightforward and the rest is fairly easy to follow. It also reminds me of a book we both like - but I won’t say more!

[Nicole D.]

lark wrote: I'm especially tickled to see Booth on the list. It got slammed in most of its US reviews for not being about John Wilkes Booth when he was obviously NOT what the author was writing about.

reply | flag
.."

I think the problem with Booth is that we were expecting it to be about him, and then get to the Authors Note at the end only to find out what the real intention was. I wished I'd had that context at the beginning. It made my appreciation of the novel grow in retrospect. I don't read blurbs or descriptions typically so maybe it is mentioned there. I think it deserves to be on the list and am glad it made it.

[Alana]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "The only thing I can see to criticise is the lack of geographic diversity - a shame after the Booker remembered Canada, Aus/NZ existed . . .

So honestly I was disappointed by the US domination. And that's as a US resident and Canadian born reader, but also a curmudgeon who didn't like the addition of US writers to the Booker. I have no interest in the subject matter of so many of these. Get off my lawn.

[David]

The more I dig into the the list, the more positively I feel about it. I'll agree that some of the US entries are the weakest links - Booth, Trust, Oh William!. But I am excited to see recognition for Percival Everett - The Trees may well make the shortlist. The Colony and Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies are great headliners.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

I think you put it well David.

[WndyJW]

I plan on reading The Trees, Small Things Like These, Treacle Walker, and The Seven Moons, and finishing After Sappho.
I’ve read Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies and The Colony. The rest I’m not interested in. Yet.

[Mohamed]

I will start the trees tonight, with after Sapho that I started this morning but could not concentrate for an obvious reason hahaha

[Lark]

I'm reading After Sappho now and even though it's very different in tone, stylistically it still makes me feel like it was chosen by the same editorial board that published Lucia.

[Suzanne]

I agree with many of the comments here - quite excited for the list but would have liked to have more diverse countries in the mix - some representation for Aus/NZ in particular. I happen to be in the process of reading Booth at the moment, so that’s quite lucky! Looking forward to lots of book mail - most I have been able to get in NZ already bar 2, which is quite different to the past few years.

[WndyJW]

After Sappho and Lucia were both edited and published by Galley Beggar, Lark.

[Carl]

Now, which ones shall I take on holiday? Trees would have been my first pick but it’s not available.

I have The Colony, Trust, Booth, and Case Study. Such a pressure as if they’re disappointing I’ll be annoyed that I wasted the space.

My kindle is broken so I can’t take them all, as I’m taking other books too.

[David]

Take Case Study, Carl. We need to jump start a conversation there.

[Carl]

David, I’m not sure that’s the criterion I was looking for. But it does appeal for some reason The Colony doesn’t excite me. If only the Cormac McCarthy was eligible this year.

[Alwynne]

I'm tempted by this one because of the links to the anti-psychiatry movement and I love the way the cover echoes the old Penguin editions of Laing, Cooper etc

[WndyJW]

Carl, it took me a few chapters to get into The Colony, if not for the praise from others here I wouldn’t have kept with it.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Have always wanted yes to read the longlist before end July. It’s like getting 1000 runs before end of May.

I got very close in 2019 but could not get hold of History of Wolves in time.

I have read 11 of this year now and will I suspect read the 12th tomorrow but I will be frustrated in my aim unless Seven Moons release date is moved up.

[Nicole D.]

Grumble, I sent a note to the Publicist for Seven Moons and had a PDF in my inbox the next day. With as much Booker promo as you do, I think it's a possibility for you. She was lovely.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Could you DM me her address

[John]

Exciting. Time to get ordering and reading. I've read none of these! Have had a mad busy year with teaching and research so unfortunately little time for reading. But I've promised myself to get through as many of the longlist as possible and am currently reading my way through the Women's Prize for Fiction list.

[John]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Reaction is overall it seems very positive.

The only thing I can see to criticise is the lack of geographic diversity - a shame after the Booker remembered Canada, Aus/NZ existed let alone other ..."

We do get overlooked down here somewhat GY ....

[Marcus]

John wrote: "Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Reaction is overall it seems very positive.

We do get overlooked down here somewhat GY..."

I'll second that thought from New Zealand!

[David]

I think what frustrates me as an American about the representation disparity is that the best American writing isn’t submitted or selected. The Trees may be an exception this year, but I don’t think many people in the US would put forward Booth, Great Circle, or even the Lucy Barton novels as finest fiction.

[WndyJW]

I agree, David, but I don’t read many (any?) contemporary American writers so I couldn’t think of a book I would nominate.

I’m a huge fan of Australian and NZ humor and I used to follow the Miles Franklin Prize. I should again. Surely the Miles Franklin and Stella prize lists included Booker worthy books.

[Lee]

I’d nominate Activities of Daily Living but it would have to get picked up by a UK publisher first. I don’t think of it as standard Booker material but if After Sappho can get listed there’s hope! Maybe some small press will give it a shot.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

I would add After Sappho as an exception too David.

[Mohamed]

Lee wrote: "I’d nominate Activities of Daily Living but it would have to get picked up by a UK publisher first. I don’t think of it as standard Booker material but if After Sappho can get liste..."

I loved that novel, and how she masterfully blends fiction with facts. still for the moment has no UK publisher but I hope it will get one especially after it longlisting for the center fiction prize

[Alwynne]

David wrote: "I think what frustrates me as an American about the representation disparity is that the best American writing isn’t submitted or selected. The Trees may be an exception this year, but I don’t thin..."

Things like 'Booth' and Karen Jay Fowler do seem an odd choice, I've read some really interesting indie US books recently, it's weird that the US choices are skew so much towards the mainstream.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Even Trees seems a slightly odd choice for me for a UK prize - It is skilfully done and can see it’s very impactful for a US audience but I feel like it just reinforces all my prejudices about the USA

And compared to what I know of all his other books (eg the three slightly different versions he published of one recent novel or his very metafictional books) it reads more like a film script

[WndyJW]

In what way, GY? The racism?

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Yes and the police violence but also the way the people are described including food, health and names

[Cordelia]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Even Trees seems a slightly odd choice for me for a UK prize - It is skilfully done and can see it’s very impactful for a US audience but I feel like it just reinforces all my prejudices about the ..."

I also see this as more of a US book. Not really Booker stuff. I can see it winning some of the American book awards

[WndyJW]

The mission statement of the Booker seems to have changed from celebrating the best English language book….to the books most likely to get more readers. Nothing else explains why AUS/NZ authors are not making the longlist and books like Oh William from the US are.

[David]

Fair point but I’m not sure a comedy of manners featuring a white middle class household will expand the Booker audience.

[WndyJW]

We’re talking about an American audience, David. America, home of crap Hollywood movies and Big Bang Theory the series.