The Booker Prize Longlist was announced with its 13 books – now commonly known as the Booker dozen. Jennifer, with the Twitter handle of @InsertLitPun, posted this image and I thought it a great thing to do, because I have thoughts on what I’m excited to read and what will be at the bottom of the pile if I prioritize my reading like hers around this list.
Top Priority
Lanny, An Orchestra of Minorities, The Man Who Saw Everything. These three I already have – either in ebook or paper copy, so I’ll be reading these for sure.
Very Interested
Girl, Woman, Other and 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World. Even though both of these books are not available here – they aren’t even coming up when searching Indigo – they would definitely be the ones I’m most interested in reading and after the three mentioned above. I could purchase through Book Depository, but their prices are quite steep at the moment and I would rather wait to see if maybe my library will be bringing these in, and especially now that they’ve been longlisted. (My library does have other books by both these authors, so it could mean promising things.)
Interested
Night Boat to Tangier and Ducks, Newburyport. I was given the ARC to Ducks and it looked fascinating when I first heard about it, but have now learned it’s 1,000 pages and all in stream of consciousness with only 8 sentences. For a 1,000 page book?! Hmmm….I am going to have a great deal of difficulty with this one. I’ll need a completely clear and open mind going into it. (I have very bad thoughts of Will Self’s stupid book that was nominated in 2012, Umbrella. I had strong reactions to it when reading and make no apologies in my dislike for it.)
Maybe, But Highly Unlikely
Highly unlikely because between the time the shortlist is announced, and if any number of those 23 books I have On Hold currently at the library come in, it will push these way down any TBR list I think I’ll be successful in keeping. ;-)
Lost Children Archive – I did try this one before and it didn’t catch my fancy at that time, perhaps if it is shortlisted I may give it another try? We’ll see.
My Sister the Serial Killerand The Wall (it’s dystopia, not my go-to genre, so it’s a strong maybe but highly unlikely).
Nopity Nope
The Testaments, Frankissstein, and Quichotte. I am angry to see Atwood on this list and for a book that isn’t even published yet and is a book I see only as riding a hype-wave. Atwood needs no extra boosts given in my opinion. Same for Rushdie – an author I haven’t read because I have zero interest to do so, so I know his won’t be something I read. Frankissstein is a nope because a re-imagining of Frankenstein that includes a “new generation of sex dolls” holds no appeal. I’m just being frank and honest here kids.
The shortlist will be announced on September 3, the same day as the longlist for the Giller Prize announcement. I haven’t even given thought to what might potentially be on the Giller Prize list? However, I didn’t really give much thought to the Booker either! ;-) Overall, it’s an interesting list, but I can’t help but feel it’s kind of boring and a disappointing one too?
* Shrugging *
What are your thoughts on the Booker Prize Longlist?
I’d be interested in trying Ducks, but only if I can get it through the library. I’ll also be reading The Testament.
The man on the cover of Levy’s book looks like the Little Life guy – he’s back!
The man in anguish cover! I read one Levy book before and it was a bit odd I suppose, but this one sounds quite interesting. I am going to give Ducks a try – but oh wow! How will that go eh? Breathe deep and just understand it’s going to be very different! ;-) And who knows how many I’ll get to because I’m sure the Giller Prize longlist announcement will be a distraction to the Booker books! :-)