Not my favourite prize but I can’t resist putting together a wish list for the Booker. To be eligible for this year’s prize all books must be published in the UK or Ireland between 1st October 2025 and 30th September 2026 and have been written in English. The judges usually stick to twelve although sometimes stretch to thirteen. Their list will be revealed on 28th July but here’s mine, which I suspect will bear no resemblance whatsoever to theirs, with links to my reviews for all but Where Are the Kings, Clara and Christina, Switzy and Stations, all to be reviewed nearer publication.
The Silver Book Almost Life Minor Black Figures
The Things We Never Say Frida Slattery as Herself Whistler
The Red Mouth Venus Vanishing Where Are the Kings
Clara and Christina Switzy Stations
Several of these stand no hope whatsoever, although I think they should, unlikely even to have been nominated by their publishers although the judges can call books in. It’s quite possible I’ll read a gem I’d loved to have included here published before mid-September when the shortlist is announced but I’m sticking to books I’ve already read. And if I had to choose one? Never easy but it would be a toss-up between The Silver Book, The Things We Never Say, Where Are the Kings and Stations.
What about you? What would you like to see on the list, and what do you think the judges will plump for?
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Great list!
Glad you think so!
Great to see your list Susan, I’m keen to see what makes it. I’m about to start Stations and very much looking forward to it.
Me, too, and I think Stations is one of the few on my list that might make it. Hope you enjoy it!
Well, I started it this morning and have already read 100 pages, so it’s pretty safe to say I’m enjoying it!
It does look that way! Fingers crossed for the Booker
I haven’t read any of these, but they all sound interesting. I’m curious about Stations based on early reviews and Olivia Laing venturing into fiction. What would you say is your favourite prize? That makes me curious as well.
Highly recommend both, Claire. I’m not sure I can answer that, these days. It used to be the Women’s Prize and I loved the old Costa for it’s range. I’m often attracted by Giller Prize winners but can’t always find them in the UK. Do you have a favourite?
I think mine changes often, I do love the new Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction and the Orwell Prize and the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation and to see what’s on the Dylan Thomas and Walter Scott Prizes and the nature writing Wainwright Prizes, oh and the librarians Prize, the Dublin Literary Award and the Irish Book Awards fiction selection. I guess I don’t have a favourite, I just enjoy the buzz or can totally leave it if the longlist doesn’t appeal.
There are so many more literary prizes than there once were, it’s hard to keep up. Of the ones you’ve mentioned I’m particularly keen on the Warwick and the Dublin Literary Award which always has a fascinating longlist.
I’ve heard good things about Whistler (which I’ll be reading soon) and The Red Mouth!
I’ll be interested to see what you think of both of those.
Of these, I’ve read The Silver Book, Minor Black Figures, and Venus Vanishing, and Switzy is on my NetGalley list! Keen on Whistler, too, although I haven’t yet sourced it. The Laing and Taylor probably have a decent chance, although the Taylor was a bit meandering for my taste. The Birrell feels like a Women’s Prize book (although the WP and I have parted ways, aesthetically, so I suppose what I mean is it feels like something that used to be a WP book. Perhaps that makes it even more important for the Booker to up its game). I’d also very much like to see Rebecca Perry’s May We Feed the King get some prize recognition, as well as Francis Spufford’s Nonesuch (never happening but he jolly well deserves it) and Colson Whitehead’s most recent release, Cool Machine. Is Sarah Ross’s The Winter Guest too late a release to be eligible? I think it’s published on 1 October this year…
*Sarah Moss’s. Bloody autocorrect!
Taken as read!
I’ve also lost some interest in the WP because I find the books they champion to be either too experimental or, more often, too commercial and I was wondering if those were also your problems with it.
Largely, yes – mostly my issue is the overly commercial choices, and the growing sense that the judging panel makes choices for the sake of variety and surprise rather than on the basis of quality. (For example: I don’t have any issue with début authors being listed – every novelist has to write their first novel, and some first novels are prizeworthy! – but a recent longlist, I think 2024’s, had so many that it seemed more like a deliberate attempt to move the frame than an honest reflection of the year’s best fiction. Though, frankly, no prize is ever that, and I’m trying to give up the habit of viewing them as such.)
Speaking for myself, those are much the reasons I’ve gone off what was once one my favourite prizes, particularly the latter.
I liked that about the Taylor! I know what you mean about the old style Women’s Prize and the Birrell. Thanks for the tip about the Perry which I think won the Waterstones Debut Prize last week. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Cool Machine picked out but you’re right about The Winter Guest being published a day too late.
In fairness, I might have liked that about the Taylor too if I’d read it at a different time! What a shame about The Winter Guest – though I wonder if that’s intentional? Perhaps she’s one of those authors who has asked her publishers to stop submitting her for prizes, like Ali Smith.
It must consume a lot of mental energy and if you win, time, too. I can understand why already successful authors might think about excluding themselves.
I’d love to see Donal Ryan or Elizabeth Strout on the shortlist. Not that I’ve read either of these books, just going n past experience of their work.
I think the Strout’s her best yet. Unusually for her it’s quite political in a subtle way. The Ryan’s top notch, too.
I could never get around to making this kind of list – I don’t read enough eligible books. I do have a the Donal Ryan winging my way, and am longing to read the new Louise Kennedy though. One recently published novel I’d be delighted to see longlisted is The End of the Vodka by Oscar de Muriel which I loved.
Those are two of the most likely to make it on the judges’ list, I’d say. The de Muriel looks great. Added it to my list.
I’ve seen a few of yours on other people’s lists (readers who obviously follow the Prize) and a couple of them I have in my TBR pile or on my wishlist. Perhaps Land, Country People or May We Feed the King (the latter I haven’t read yet)? Most books I see on other prediction lists are completely new to me.
You’re the second to give May We Feed the King a vote, Cathy, and I’m sure Land is a likely contender. I’m not expecting much wish fulfillment.
From these, I’ve so far only read The Silver Book and Almost Life, but I’d happily see both do well (possibly not win, but get some acclaim).
My hopes aren’t particularly high for either of those although the Laing certainly deserves a higher profile than it seems to have had.
I don’t really follow the Booker any more but I always enjoy seeing your wish list with so many appealing choices!
Thank you, Madame Bibi!
I always think your wish lists are much more appealing than the eventual longlists! I’d add in John of John but otherwise I like what you’ve gone for (I’ve read 4 1/3: The Silver Book, Almost Life [too commercial, I fear], The Things We Never Say, Whistler, and part of Minor Black Figures). I plan to read the Birrell and Kennedy, and I have a copy of the new Donal Ryan on the way.
What gives me more hope of an interesting list this year is the intriguing judging panel: headed by Mary Beard and featuring two authors I’ve read lots by (Raymond Antrobus and Patricia Lockwood), who are both fairly young and bring along some diversity of experience, identity and genre. I don’t personally know anything about Jarvis Cocker but they seem to like picking someone who’s been successful in other media.
Thank you! I’m pretty sure if I’d read the Stuart I’d have included it. I’ve heard nothing but good things about it.
I agree with you about the judges. Jarvis Cocker did do a stint with Faber as Editor-at-large years ago although I don’t know if much came of it. Fingers crossed for an interesting list.
You got 2 right! I’ll plan to read Switzy soon.
One more than last year! Hope you enjoy Switzy.
Ooh I love seeing your prediction lists, and this is a fab one. Apart from Whistler, nothing on here that I have read yet, but lots that I’d like to read. I hesitated over The Silver Book, but maybe I’ll give that one a go once summer reading is out of the way (which at my speed may be next spring, lol). I also read May We Feed The King at the start of the year and think that might find its way onto the list. I had some reservations about it, but it was sheer quality writing.
That’s three votes for May We Feed the King! Thanks, Victoria. The Silver Book is superb, if harrowing. It might just be one to catch the judges’ attention.
So far I have only read Strout’s book and really enjoyed it but not sure if it’s strong enough for the Booker. I am looking forward to reading Ryan’s and Kennedy’s books. TBH I can’t think of a really riveting book I have read in the required timeframe. Colson Whitehead’s new book is getting very good reviews although I haven’t read it yet. I picked up The Correspondent in the library this week and will give it a go.
I had noticed the Colson which could well be in with a chance. I think the Strout might be, too, given that My Name is Lucy Barton was longlisted and Oh William! shortlisted, neither as good as her new one. Fingers crossed!
Well Strout is out of the gap. I stand corrected. Here’s hoping she gets further. She deserves a Booker Prize at this stage. Her 11th book. And an Irish book has been thrown in the mix. It sounds a little like Colin Barrett’s previously Booker longlisted book.
I very nearly read All Them Dogs but got distracted by another title. I think it’s a more interesting list than in recent years. Fingers crossed for the Strout, though.
It’s certainly eclectic. Although some of the topics don’t appeal to me.
Regardless of the lack of overlap, between wishes and nominees, indeed because of the lack of overlap, lists like these are fab. And you did twice as well as last year with your “predictions” even so!
I know what you mean about Strout; I’d not thought of her as being political, particularly, either. But reading The Burgess Boys late last year, I was shocked to see that in writing about seemingly apolitical characters (mostly, anyhow), her narrative itself was both political and startlingly relevant to today’s headlines. Now it’s got me rethinking…
Thank you, Marcie, and you’ve made me think I should reread The Burgess Boys, Her latest seemed more overtly political to me but still subtly so. She’s not the kind of writer to bludgeon her readers with a message making it all the more powerful,