2024 Booker Prize Longlist Discussion.

[Emmeline]

I got Held in the quiz, which to be fair is something I probably would be interested in if it wasn’t by Anne Michaels.

[Erin]

David wrote: "I got My Friends."

Hm, I got Playground. Guess I'll have to wait, though!

[Bella (Kiki)]

Emily wrote: "I got Held in the quiz, which to be fair is something I probably would be interested in if it wasn’t by Anne Michaels."

I loved Fugitive Pieces, but The Winter Vault, not so much, and Held is just beautiful.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Playground for me too, but the quiz is utterly stupid and needs none of the above options...

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

I am with you Hugh.

[Erin]

Hugh wrote: "Playground for me too, but the quiz is utterly stupid and needs none of the above options..."

LOL, these quizzes are always utterly stupid. The questions are often best answered with 'none of the above silly options". Do you judge a book by its cover? Always/Never. Yeesh.

And yet, yeah, I took it. Wouldn't have made me read a book that I already wasn't thinking of though... (I have no plans to read the whole list!)

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

I stalled early on in the film one - I think I have only heard of 1 or possibly 2 and not seen any of them.

[Cindy]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "I am with you Hugh."

Same.

[LindaJ^]

I got James

[Bella (Kiki)]

I do think the quiz is silly, just a bit of fun, but I took it and got Held. To be fair, I love Anne Michaels' writing, and Held is a book I would have read even had it not made the longlist.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Where all attempts to define my taste using algorithms tend to fail is that they never focus on the indefinable things like language, influences and the need for a varied reading diet.

[Ruben]

I did everything to get Wild Houses and got James :)

[Rose]

That's funny, Ruben, I was thinking that it was really clear which questions would steer you towards a few of the books - especially Orbital, Wandering Stars, and Headshot. I tried to avoid those obvious paths in my responses, and I ended up getting Playground, which I'm eager to read but know basically nothing about.

[David]

I had to smile at the Orbital questions. Yes, I would like a recommendation from Martin MacInnes set in space.

[Anna]

the quiz gave me wild houses, which is in a way fitting since I had a much better time reading it than most members of this group! :)

[Elizabeth]

I got Stone Yard Devotional, which wasn't on my radar before but it is now.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

I enjoyed Wild Houses a lot too, but so far 6 of the 7 I have read were pretty good.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Nice story

Was just in a indy bookshop just now - was thinking to possibly get There, There to read part way through Wandering Star.

The booksellers knew the longlist fairly well so we ended up discussing it for 5 minutes and then I caught sight of Sterling Karat Gold as a bookseller recommendation and we switched to Isabel Waidner.

The bookseller asked me if I was aware of this amazing review on Goodreads with all the cultural references in the book - a customer she sold the book too came back in to show it to her and she now suggests it to people who buy the book.

I was like yeah I know the review - it’s by my twin brother.

[Stephen]

Class.

[Cindy]

Great story!

[Gwendolyn]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Nice story

Was just in a indy bookshop just now - was thinking to possibly get There, There to read part way through Wandering Star.

The booksellers knew the longlist fairly well so we ended up..."

Are you and Paul really twins? In a literal sense? Or are you speaking metaphorically?

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

No we are identical twins.

[Mohamed]

https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booke...

Turned out that Messud is big fan of Praiseworthy

[Paul]

Good to hear. Although that then begs the question of whether she should do the decent thing and renounce her longlist position in favour of Wright?

And yes we are identical twins. Hence our identical enthusiasm for the Booker:-) But genuinely on the first bit.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

The book she has as “can’t get out of my head” My Beloved Life was 12th in my pre Booker rankings of eligible books I read - slow burn but really impressive.

(S&EH was 62nd!)

[Paul]

Seeing a lot of love for Virginia Woolf from the longlistees - of the 5 I have read so far, 4 of them mentioned her.

[Cindy]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "The book she has as “can’t get out of my head” My Beloved Life was 12th in my pre Booker rankings of eligible books I read - slow burn but really impressive.

(S&EH was 62nd!)"

I have that book and planned to read it if longlisted and otherwise get around to it, but now I will bump it up my TBR.

[Mohamed]

Paul wrote: "Good to hear. Although that then begs the question of whether she should do the decent thing and renounce her longlist position in favour of Wright?

And yes we are identical twins. Hence our ident..."

Honestly, I was waiting you to say the exact thing, Paul 🤣🤣

[Gwendolyn]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "No we are identical twins."

Wow. I’m envious that you two can share your love of literature. My sibling hasn’t read anything since 50 Shades of Gray…

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Alas that more describes my hair these days.
Well what’s left of it.

[Paul]

Gwendolyn wrote: "Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "No we are identical twins."

Wow. I’m envious that you two can share your love of literature. My sibling hasn’t read anything since 50 Shades of Gray…"

That's a coincidence as that's Gumble's favourite book as well. Thankfully not one he has produced an Instagram photo for.

[Paul]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "The book she has as “can’t get out of my head” My Beloved Life was 12th in my pre Booker rankings of eligible books I read - slow burn but really impressive.

(S&EH was 62nd!)"

I do wonder if the "can’t get [you] out of my head" question was planted to subliminally influence the authors towards Aussie literature

[Bella (Kiki)]

Gwendolyn wrote: "Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "No we are identical twins."

Wow. I’m envious that you two can share your love of literature. My sibling hasn’t read anything since 50 Shades of Gray…"

I have a fraternal twin who only reads technical books. No fiction, unless it's proofreading my novels. I would read more non-fiction, but I have limited time (who doesn't?), so I stick to fiction.

[Jo]

What a lovely story!

Am I the only person here that did not know the shooting in 1984 in My Friends was an actual historical event?

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Do you not remember it happening. I would 40 years on still know the name of the police officer without having to read the book.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

But then it depends on age and country I guess.

[Paul]

I've not read the book and don't even know what it's about but shooting in 1984 = Yvonne Fletcher?

That's an event seared in the memory of anyone who was of age in the UK then - but that's of course a minority of readers.

[Gwendolyn]

Yes, I had not heard of this shooting before reading about it in My Friends. I’m in the U.S. and was born here, though, so in 1984, I don’t believe this was a big news story over here.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

I was just looking back at last years winner and noticed:

It has a front and back cover blurb by Samantha Harvey

It has two epigraphs:

One is the exact same as used by Tommy Orange in There, There

Second is from Ecclesiastes (which the narrator of Creation Lake takes her worldview from)

[Rose]

I'm finding it challenging to rank the books I've read so far. Other than James, which is a stand-out number one for me, the other four have had aspects I admire but also big flaws. Orbital and Held are beautifully written but I don't think I'll remember/be thinking about them for long. I appreciate what Tommy Orange was trying to do with Wandering Stars but don't think it fully worked. This Strange Eventful History was a pleasant listen while I was doing other things, but never would have held my attention had I sat down to read a print version.

I guess I'm not seeing another stand-out yet. I have eight books to go though three of them don't sound like they'll appeal to me at all. So five chances to find something that stands on a level with James.

[Jo]

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Do you not remember it happening. I would 40 years on still know the name of the police officer without having to read the book."

No, I was only two at the time and living in South Africa. Up until 1994 it was an isolated country where we didn't hear much news from the rest of the world.

What a powerful novel My Friends is. Can absolutely see why it won the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

That explains it Jo.

What I find interesting is that even though I could recall the name of the WPC killed 40 years later

- I don’t recall any Libyan students being shot - that was very much not the focus of the story in the UK

- I had no idea that the story of the radio journalist being murdered in the mosque was true.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Rose I think you are kind of echoing some earlier comments that it feels a longlist which is very even.

I could argue for any book to be shortlisted (well maybe Wild Houses would be a stretch) and any to be dropped (even James for reasons discussed in the thread and despite me having it #2).

[Rose]

Yes. And evenly solid is better than evenly terrible, so there's that.

[Bella (Kiki)]

Rose wrote: "I'm finding it challenging to rank the books I've read so far. Other than James, which is a stand-out number one for me, the other four have had aspects I admire but also big flaws. Orbital and Hel..."

I'm finding it very challenging to rank the books, too, Rose. I even go back and forth with my one and two picks: Playground and Held. I think Playground is a more even book and Held kind of unravels in the last third or fourth, but I love the prose in Held. Michaels is one of my very favorites. I'm also having a problem deciding on which book comes in last for me, Wild Houses or Headshot. Right now, I think it's Headshot, with Playground first. Then, of course, there's the big middle section. I think, overall, it's a very strong longlist.

[Tommi]

Eight books in and I was starting to get bogged down by the longlist, but then as the ninth read I picked up My Friends. I’m glad I saved it until this stage, as it’s a clear standout and a potential 5-star read.

[Jo]

Tommi wrote: "Eight books in and I was starting to get bogged down by the longlist, but then as the ninth read I picked up My Friends. I’m glad I saved it until this stage, as it’s a clear standout and a potenti..."
Just finished My Friends. It is a powerful story. Memorable. Tge writing is impeccable. Convincing and complex characters. Brilliantly plotted. I liked the short chapters. Every element of the novel felt necessary and accomplished. It simply 'Just works'! In my Top 3, along with Playground and James.

I think we would all be shocked if My Friends does not make the shortlist.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Looking forward to My Friends most of the 5 I still have to read (2 or which are unlikely to arrive before September). Taking a break from the longlist for a couple of days to read next week's face to face book club book.

So far they all seem good but not outstanding apart from Held, which I can see myself returning to, and Headshot which wasn't my kind of book, though I am glad others are more positive. I suspect Matar and Powers will make my personal shortlist, hoping at least one of Perry and Kushner will join them.

[Jo]

Hugh wrote: "Looking forward to My Friends most of the 5 I still have to read (2 or which are unlikely to arrive before September). Taking a break from the longlist for a couple of days to read next week's face..."

Also taking a break, Only have TSEH and Creation Lake left but after reading the interviews by all the longlistees, and seeing how many of them mention Virginia Woolf, I thought I would read one of hers.

Somehow, I have made it to my forties, teach literature and have never read any VW. I have started with Mrs Dalloway and plan to read them chronologically, interspersing them with other novels.

Out of interest, what are you reading for your face to face book club, Hugh? My group is meeting on Tuesday and we read Go as a River, but read all sorts. From Classics to Contemporary, with many book prize nominees in between.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Jo wrote: "Out of interest, what are you reading for your face to face book club, Hugh? My group is meeting on Tuesday and we read Go as a River, but read all sorts. From Classics to Contemporary, with many book prize nominees in between."
Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl - should be an interesting discussion but I am not sure what I will say - it's a bit outside my comfort zone...