Just before last year’s Man Booker prize winner announcement I wrote a rather disenchanted post about it so you might think that I’ve cast off my world weariness, given the title above. Not entirely, I’m afraid, but I did have to think about it when the lovely people over at Shiny New Books asked if I’d like to contribute a few punts for this year’s longlist. They only wanted two or three, but it got me thinking about other titles that I’d like to see longlisted. I’ve restricted myself to books that I’ve read and like the judges I’ve allowed myself twelve, although they sometimes stretch to thirteen. Theirs will be revealed on Wednesday 29th July but here’s mine – wishes not predictions – in no particular order, with links to my reviews:
Academy Street Weathering A Spool of Blue Thread
The Mountain Can Wait Our Souls at Night Tender
A God in Ruins The Lives of Women 10:04
Some Luck The Lightning Tree Signs for Lost Children
I’ve been pipped to the post on this by Jackie over at Farm Lane Books whose format I’ve stolen, not for the first time. Interestingly we only overlap on two although if I’d read Anne Enright’s The Green Road I’m pretty sure it would have appeared here. And if you’d like to see which of the above I came up with for the Shinies plus other contributors’ hopes here they are. Let me know which titles you fancy for this year.
Predictably I haven’t read any of those (too many old books in the world) but I do have Academy Street on my kindle. A book I would nominate if I could despite not having read many 2015 books would be The Evening Chorus by Helen Humphreys. I still haven’t read last year’s winner -but I will someday.
Well, if a book’s still in print after several decades it’s well worth considering. I have a copy of The Evening Chorus but haven’t read it yet – I must move it up my pile – and if it’s any consolation I haven’t read last year’s winner and probably won’t!
Academy Street is great. Like the list very much, but if you mean you won’t be reading Richard Flanagan’s Narrow Road to the Deep north (last year’s Mann Booker winner I think) you’ve missed a real treat. One of the best insights into what it means to be in love and to be human in years.
I’ve read and very much enjoyed Gould’s Book of Fish but this one didn’t appeal although if an Academy Street fan is advocating it I may have to reconsider! Glad to hear you like the list.
Interesting wish list. Me and the Booker had a big fall out last year, however, I have an eye on it this year largely because I’m hoping Sarah Hall gets the nod again, this time with The Wolf Border, and I’m rooting for Hanya Yanagihara to win with A Little Life which is one of the best books I’ve ever read. No doubt Jonathan Franzen will make the list along with ten other novels yet to be published…oh, I seem to have come over a little cynical!
I know exactly what you mean hence last year’s weary post from me. This is very much a wish list and I doubt it will have any resemblance to the real thing. Haven’t read the Hall but I know how much you rate it so I hope it will make an appearance – it wouldn’t surprise me to see A Little Life there, too.
this is one year where there are very few books i can think of that i consider certain to be on the longest. Tyler and Atkinson would be there – i’ve not read either but the reviews of them make me think they are likely to get on the list.
I hope you’re right about the Atkinson. I’m amazed than none of her novels have been considered before.
Great list! I’ve only read Academy Street so lots more to add to my tbr list.
Thanks, Helen. Academy Street is such a fine novel.
I adored Academy Street – such an understated and elegantly written novel. I’m not sure I’ve read enough eligible books to compile a full list for a blog post but I would like to see The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber on there too.
You could do a short one! I would be delighted to see Academy Street on the list – one of the finest novels I read last year, and it would be good to see the Faber there, too.
What a good idea – maybe you’ll get lucky!
It would be lovely to see one or two of these on the judges’ list but we’ll see. All credit to Jackie at Farm Lane Books for the format!
I’ve just finished The Mountain can Wait and loved it. It would be wonderful if that made the list.
So glad you agree, Claire. It’s a bit of a wild card but these are wishes! Leipciger’s writing is so good – she made me feel as if I was in the Canadian backwoods when reading it.
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A belated thanks for the link.
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