The Mookse and the Gripes discussion
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Booker Prize for Fiction
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2023 Booker Prize speculation
Other than being long and well written, it is nothing like All the Light We Cannot See.
The Covenant of Water is getting a lot of attention since becoming Oprah’s most recent book club pick. Verghese’s first novel was very good and this second is a long time in coming. I have not read it yet but I definitely will.
That explains the long line of library holds.
I didn't realize it was an Oprah pick. I read Cutting for Stone and enjoyed it very much. I think The Covenant of Water is even better.
Dates for this year's prize are now on the Booker website (apologies if I've missed this being discussed previously!) - anyone looking to finish reading the longlist in July might struggle this year:The ‘Booker Dozen’ of 12 or 13 books will be announced on August 1, 2023 with the shortlist of six books to follow on September 21. The winner of the £50,000 prize will be announced on November 26, 2023.
I still put money on Gumble managing it given all the ARCs he reads - it’s just he won’t know he completed the list in July until August :-)
Now that's a challenge! August 1st feels a week later than normal, no? And of course it depends on how many of the longlisted books you've already read so as to have a head start. That's the key.
Last yearLonglist: 26 Jul
Shortlist: 6-Sep
Winner: 17-Oct
This year
Longlist 1 Aug
Shortlist 21 Sep
Winner 26 Nov
So a more extended process.
Last year:
Long-short 7 and a bit weeks
Short-winner 9.5 weeks
This year:
Long-short 6 weeks
Short-winner 6 weeks
Which means if anyone does try to read the longlist by early August they will have almost 4 months to wait to find out who won!
I am just so pleased I managed my end of July feat last year. Hopefully they will keep these dates going forwards and it can never be matched. Although I would love one day to have read the whole of a longlist of a prize pre announcement (excluding of course the RoC).
I have never beat 10/13 for the Booker.
Sunday announcement of winner as well which is unusual isn’t it although seems a good idea to me.
Interesting. I like the longer process, but it does run into other prizes at the end. I wonder if this is in part to address the concern that eligible books often aren’t published until very late in the timeline. This adds a month cushion.
Does feel one to join in at the shortlist stage this year otherwise a ridiculously long wait. Which I think does reflect the reality for how Booker promotes itself - the shortlist is where it gets interesting.Think my best on a longlist (other than RoC where have more than one 100%) is 9/13 from last year's International Booker - which was without trying just from books I naturally read and says more about that list than about my reading.
And 5/6 for the Goldsmiths one year, which is the one I probably do more seek out possible contenders.
It creates a little bit of a problem as it bleeds into the goldsmiths. Hopefully I will finish the longlist by the end of September but it all depends on release dates
I think the November 26th date means that the winner will be announced well after the winner of the National Book Awards (this year, November 15th. That seems very unusual to me.
It's so they can be the final leg of the quadruple for the Pulitzer/NBA/Women's Prize winning Demon Copperhead.It is oddly delayed though - I wonder why.
Paul, that really made me laugh. And yes, the delay is odd.
I wish more prizes would extend their timeline, at least for the longlist stage. This is a nice contrast to the NBA, which only allocates 2 and a half weeks for people to read the longlist.The Women's Prize allocates 7 weeks for the longlist, and another 7 for the shortlist. That seems about right to me.
I ordered The Covenant of Water because every where I saw it mentioned the mentioner (I think I made that word up) raved about it, saying it’s the best book they’ve read in years.
I wonder how it compares to the Tomy. It looks like Covenant ends in the 1970s, around the time Valli begins. Both seem to be principally set in Kerala (formerly Malabar).
If Labatut is longlisted for Maniac, will he then be the first author longlisted for both the Booker and International Booker? Have there been others?
Well technically Marilynne Robinson, Doris Lessing, Muriel Spark. Anne Tyler, Alice Munro, Ian McEwan, Salman Rushdie, Peter Carey, John Banville and Margaret Atwood (and probably several more - I stopped counting) ..... but that's a bit cheating!
In its more recent form of the IB, yes the first I think.
I hadn't actually realised this one was in English - interested he's switched language.
What about Tan Twan Eng as a contender. Only written two novels - one long listed and one shortlisted and now about to publish his first Novel for 11 years.
Adds an International flavour to any list as well.
And he is currently a Booker International judge.
Now putting aside the fact this might disqualify him in the eyes of the hard core Booker International fans given this years longlist does that increase his chances (it definitely would on the Goldsmith with its revolving two way door if judges and shortlistees).
Has anyone read his latest. I am part way through.
I think The House of Doors would definitely be part of the longlist conversation. What are your impressions so far? I don't know if his role as IB judge helps or hurts, but it is odd that he is serving the same year his book is coming out.I can't believe it's been 11 years since his last book. The 2012 Booker shortlist was:
- Bringing Up the Bodies (winner)
- The Garden of Evening Mists
- Swimming Home
- The Lighthouse
- Umbrella
- Narcopolis
The Booker has gotten so much more diverse in terms of storytelling styles in the last 11 years, although the last two on that list are interesting entries to the shortlist in retrospect.
It’s been 11 years since The Garden of Evening Mists! BBC Radio 4 Bookclub discussed The Garden…last month. I don’t remember the book, probably because it’s been 11 years, but I remember liking it.
I really suggest taking a look at Soldier SailorIt is getting glowing reviews from the press. It is about motherhood, written as a monologue. It reminds somehow of Die, My Love
Real contender for the longlist
I had intended to request an ARC abut NetGalley had the publication date as 4-5 so it was withdrawn there.
Soldier Sailor was really good, I thought, especially the first bit.
I am really excited for The Covenant of Water. My copy arrives tomorrow. Weekend sorted.
My copy of The Covenant of Water arrived yesterday. As soon as I finish The Hearing Trumpet, I’ll start The Covenant..l looked at this afternoon, it should be a quick 715 pages. I heard that Verghese modeled the matriarch on his own grandmother.
I find 715 page books very quick to read - as all I need to do is read the words "715 pages" and I'm done.
I jut finished Max Porter's Shy. I think it's the best thing he's written.
I was quite disappointed with it - I felt he was trying too hard
Sorry to hear that. I usually find myself agreeing with your reactions to books Robert.
It's getting a wide release in the US, which is nice to see. Displayed on the front table of my local bookstore, etc., which isn't always guaranteed for international authors.
I thought it was great but I think preferred Lanny
Just shy of his best for me.
Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Just shy of his best for me."Ouch!
Interview with Tan Twan Eng on the latest episode of Literary Friction: https://soundcloud.com/literaryfricti...
I audiobooked Shy in one sitting. I thought it was really good. Poetic. Intelligent. Insightful. It reminded me of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. I would be super surprised if it made it on to the Longlist. The Covenant of Water kept me up late last night. This may be the best book I have read this year. Hungry Ghosts, In Memoriam and The New Life right up there though.
Why super surprised?
Hmmm.... I didnt feel it was that original. It may be a bit harsh but it felt contrived. I have also read books that I thought were much better.
Makes sense. I just reviewed the Labatut
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
To be honest I was slightly disappointed compared to its predecessor - it felt particularly let down by the last quarter and also (but reacted) too non fictional
It’s still a very good read
From your review and RC's review, it sounds like the more contemporary section on AI isn't as strong as the rest.
I thought it was quite poor to be honest. The novel would be better if that part was cut completely - I think 2023 readers can probably make their own conclusions around developments in AI.
I agree, that last section feels overtaken with recent chatbot developments in AI, and also stylistically it feels like an outdated non fiction piece.Before that though, the first 75% or so would have been 5 stars from me, though the 'fiction' label is problematic. I guess it comes from the fact that most of it is fictionalised oral testimonies on von Neumann based on, but not directly quoted from, factual sources.
Jo, I’m enjoying The Covenant of Water too. It’s a straightforward story, but an engaging story.I’m eager to read Shy, but I just ordered the new Tan Tang Eng.
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The Mookse and the Gripes
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The Covenant of Water is giving Anthony Doerr meets We Measure the Earth With Our Bo..."
That helps me with my 'avoid' list, I hated All the Light We Cannot See!