2022 Booker Prize longlist discussion

[David]

It looks like Solar Bones, Home Fire, and Reservoir 13 were three out of the group’s top four that year.

[WndyJW]

Congratulations Jamie and Joy! I agree this is the best long list in a few years. I’m stopping at 9 read and half of Glory and about half of After Sappho. Nightcrawling should arrive any day and if I have time I’ll read it before the 6th. Like the rest, the books I haven’t finished I’ll read if they make the Shortlist, except Booth. I’m not keen on that even if it’s shortlisted.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

I keep thinking about 2017 as well Hugh.

It was not just the groups favourites - but many peoples favourites and many books that win other prizes that disappeared at the shortlist stage.

For those who have long been on this group I apologise as I have quoted this several times before but for those new to the group of to the Booker

A subset of the books which were dropped from the 2017 Booker at the shortlist stage won between them

The Goldsmith Prize
The Costa Novel Prize (twice)
The Walter Scott Prize
The Dublin Literary Award
The Womens Prize
The Pulitzer
The US National Book Award

So pretty well every major novel Prize in UK or US

I think the shortlisted books collectively won the Booker Prize (which kind of had to happen)

[Joy D]

For those who need a reminder of what was on the 2017 list:

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders - Winner
4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster - Short
History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund - Short
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid - Short
Elmet by Fiona Mozley - Short
Autumn by Ali Smith - Short
Swing Time by Zadie Smith - Long
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead - Long
Days Without End by Sebastian Barry - Long
Solar Bones by Mike McCormack - Long
Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor - Long
Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy - Long
Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie - Long

I am slowly reading through the prior Booker nominees and had this list at hand.

[Danielle]

Wow. What a strong list that 2017 year was. I can't even imagine how one would choose between some of those titles.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Badly if you were the jury

[Danielle]

It’s scandalous that Reservoir 13 didn’t even make the short list!

[Gwendolyn]

Danielle wrote: "It’s scandalous that Reservoir 13 didn’t even make the short list!"

I agree. That was a remarkable book. One of my favorites.

[Cindy]

Yes the 2017 Booker longlist was amazing. Absolutely amazing.

[Robert]

That’s was a great Longlist

[Nadine in California]

I listened to Days Without End on audio and I thought narrator Aidan Kelly was superb. I read it with a book group - everyone else read it in print and was turned off by all the violence, leaving me the only person who loved (or even liked) the book. I was so surprised, it was like we read different books. My first reaction after reading it was hoping that there'd be a follow up book with Winona as narrator, and to my surprise, there is. But I've seen some disappointing reviews so I haven't rushed to pick it up. But I will.

[Joy D]

Thanks for the info, Nadine. I haven't read Days Without End yet, but I'll make sure to get the audio.

[WndyJW]

I need to revisit Days Without End. It didn’t work for me in 2017, but it should have, so it must have been a matter of timing for me.

I agree Reservoir 13 not making the shortlist was a mistake and the beginning of the Booker’s descent into “readable” books. History of Wolves is one of the rare books I returned to the book store.

[WndyJW]

Today is a holiday in the US so I will read, or try to read, Nightcrawling, then I can say I gave every book but Booth a fair shake and rank them honestly.

[David]

Here's a thoughtful video discussing the longlist and offering shortlist predictions. Very much the perspective of two Americans but thoughtful nonetheless.

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

[Lascosas]

The 2017 shortlist was, I agree, a travesty, but at least the right book won!

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Yes, having initiated this discussion of 2017 and sat back, it was Reservoir 13, Home Fire and Solar Bones I was thinking of most, along with Days Without End to a lesser extent. Even at the shortlist stage I would have preferred to see Ali Smith win.

[Scott]

Amen, Hugh.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

All four of those books thankfully got recognised by prestigious prizes and were very successful

Home Fire - Womens Prize
Reservoir 13 and Days Without End - consecutive Costa Novel Awards either side of Booker

(All I am pretty sure leading to high sales)

Solar Bones - Dublin Literary Award (one of the most lucrative prizes around) and Goldsmith Prize (not that high profile but well regarded by this group)

[Debra]

Solar Bones is one of my all-time Booker favorites. I can't believe the judges passed on it.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Let’s hope we are not having the same reaction in 2027 to this year’s shortlist

[David]

I haven't seen updated betting odds but it's worth noting for purposes of our expectations that the odds are in some respects quite different from our group's predictions. Treacle Walker and Oh William seem to be the favorites.

[Debra]

Oh, William! is also a favorite in the link you shared above. I was tempted to add it to my prediction list, but decided to stick with my original list.

[Marc]

I'm still flummoxed that I'd never heard of Garner prior to this longlisting.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Get on with it !!

[Paul]

I can't pretend I knew much about him or could name a book and I've got less excuse given my age and nationality!

[Cindy]

Lots of people with wine and no sound or announcement!

[Paul]

I'm getting party type noise on Youtube but no picture or announcement - same on other media?

[Cindy]

On Facebook there is a video and a party but no sound.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

I am just seeing a static picture of longlisted books

[Debra]

Same

[Paul]

You can at least see the wine then Cindy (on what?) - whereas I can hear people who sound like they have drunk some! Perhaps if we put the different media together we'll get the complete picture

[Stephen]

My screen has frozen

[Cindy]

I'm on Facebook Paul.

[Debra]

What if we missed it and this is the after-party? ;-)

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Perhaps the judges have been sent back to reconsider.

[Paul]

Any Twitter has neither

Meanwhile on Instragram they've probably announced it already - anyone checked there!

[Paul]

Hang on I see Gaby Wood

[Hugh, Active moderator]

sounds like things are starting

[Paul]

Thanking the Trustees - is that a hint about Trust?

Mind you I do think Trustees are the key people on a prize.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

This is deadly dull

[Paul]

Now announcing the book clubs - spoiler alert - we weren't picked!

[Cindy]

It is dull Hugh! Shouldn't we save all this for the announcement of the winner?

[Hugh, Active moderator]

GET ON WITH IT!!!!

[Paul]

That's where we went wrong - no cakes

[Hugh, Active moderator]

can we get past #350 before the announcement proper?

[Trevor]

Paul wrote: "Now announcing the book clubs - spoiler alert - we weren't picked!"

I must have mislaid the invitation email . . .

[But_i_thought_]

Cindy wrote: "It is dull Hugh! Shouldn't we save all this for the announcement of the winner?"

It does feel like a winner event, rather than a shortlist event?!

[But_i_thought_]

Paul wrote: "Now announcing the book clubs - spoiler alert - we weren't picked!"

They really should open up the book clubs to international + virtual book cubs!

[Trevor]

I do miss the days when I'd wake up and find the shortlist had already been announced, with no fanfare, sometime after lunch in London.