http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/ Topic: What do you think of the 2008 longlist? en Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:58:24 +0000 http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/topic.php?id=93&page=24#post-2079 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 06:42:54 +0000 JoLisa 2079@http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/ <p>The Miles Franklin is stil probably the Aus award with the most prestige, but the new Prime Minister's Literary Award with its $100,000 prize money is going to be something writers are aiming for too.</p> <p>This year's shortlist - announced by arts minister Peter Garret (anyone remember the rok roup Midnight Oil? Yes, the same Peter Garret)is</p> <p>Burning In - Mireille Juchau<br /> El Dorado - Dorothy Porter<br /> Jamaica - Malcolm Knox<br /> Sorry - Gail Jones<br /> The Complete Stories - David Malouf<br /> The Widow and Her Hero - Tom Keneally<br /> The Zookeeper's War - Steven Conte </p> http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/topic.php?id=93&page=23#post-2077 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 03:45:29 +0000 KevinfromCanada 2077@http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/ <p>Shona: The Miles Franklin definitely belongs on my schedule and it is my fault for not including it. That's not parochial at all -- with two Australians on the longlist and four more on people's "shouldabeens", serious readers ignore Australians at their own peril. Besides, as a Canadian, I should acknowledge there are significant parallels between a number of novels originating in Australia and Canada -- let's call it Large Empty Country Literature. Which often makes for good books. I must admit though, if you think it is difficult getting books published in the UK in the Antipodes, imagine what it is like getting books published in the Antipodes in Canada. Once you get passed the established writers (who do attract a lot of attention here -- see the Large Empty Country reference), the wait is often very long. Thanks for your thoughts. </p> http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/topic.php?id=93&page=23#post-2069 Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:04:06 +0000 shona 2069@http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/ <p>Sadly, I'm not going to get throught the longlist before the 9th, partly because I'm too slow, but also because about half the books on it don't seem to be available yet in the Antipodes. But thanks to those of you who do get through the list, and much more besides, I do have some sense of which ones to continue to pursue. On the basis of those I have read, I liked The Secret Scripture, the Lost Dog, The Sea of Poppies and Netherland. I didn't much like The Case of the Exploding Mangoes and found Child 44 more a guilty pleasure than an literary one! I've also been diverted from my purpose by some of the books listed by others as ones that should have made it.<br /> Thanks Kevin for the list of awards to watch each year, and for the additions to it made by others. No-one has mentioned the James Tait, is that not something people watch out for? I hope I'm not being too parochial by mentioning the Miles Franklin, probably the main prize in Australia (though not the richest), the longlist of which comes out in March. </p> http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/topic.php?id=93&page=23#post-2065 Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:00:14 +0000 bookermt 2065@http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/ <p>Ok with 11 finished 1 half way through and one (girl in a blue dress) unlikely to be read by Tuesday I can't say that I have changed my mind from my original thoughts the day the longlist was announced.</p> <p>Personally I think the judges have managed the equivalent of missing an open goal in football. So many novels this year are just much better than this bunch of fairly average titles.</p> <p>Once I've finished White Tiger I will have another look over all the titles and gather some thoughts for myself but I really can't see me changing my mind on many of the titles.<br /> I admit I'll be one short but that particular title doesn't really seem to have the "wow factor" according to those who have read it so it would not appear likely that it would make my top 6.</p> <p>I'm also looking forward to posting my "shadow" list of non longlisted titles which would have made my own personal shortlist. In the spirit of this year's competition I shall of course be looking for some geographical balance! </p> http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/topic.php?id=93&page=23#post-2060 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 17:24:47 +0000 KevinfromCanada 2060@http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/ <p>I'll admit I did not know about the Kiriyama Prize until it showed up on the cover of The Wasted Vigil when that book arrived last week -- which is embarassing since three of the winners since 2000 were Canadian. In my defence, I have read half the winners since 2000, even if I didn't know about the Prize. I will add monitoring it into my schedule. Thanks for the note, Dr. Mama. As for reading quickly, I think I owe the ability to some very good elementary school teachers and practice, practice, practice since then. </p> http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/topic.php?id=93&page=23#post-2059 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:21:16 +0000 DrMama 2059@http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/ <p>Thanks for the list Kevin, wonderful! What about the Kiriyama Prize? </p> http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/topic.php?id=93&page=23#post-2054 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:44:48 +0000 ella 2054@http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/ <p>Not very many exciting novels in the west. Istambul by Pamuk is so much better than anything written in English recently.<br /> Personally, I'm re-reading books from my childhood, progressing slowly to school years. </p> http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/topic.php?id=93&page=23#post-2053 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:34:47 +0000 Sophronisba 2053@http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/ <p>I will read the longlist again next year, because I think this year is just a fluke.</p> <p>I am considering abandoning A Case of Exploding Mangoes. It's boring me. Did it bore anyone else, or is it just Booker fatigue? I also started Girl in a Blue Dress this morning and it's not wowing me at all. </p> http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/topic.php?id=93&page=23#post-2052 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:07:37 +0000 TrevorBerrett 2052@http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/ <p>Oh, the NBCC is on my checklist already, Kevin. But the great thing about the schedule you put out is that it shows me how manageable (kind of) this can be. Much appreciated, again!</p> <p>And I agree about the quality of this forum. If only to be a participant in the forum, I'm planning on taking up the longlist challenge again next year - but with perhaps less gusto. </p> http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/topic.php?id=93&page=23#post-2051 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:56:30 +0000 KevinfromCanada 2051@http://www.themanbookerprize.com/forum/ <p>I am really glad that I opened this idea -- because I am getting so many ideas from it. I note Panther's silence -- I suspect I have created too much work for him.</p> <p>The comments about the National Book Critics' Circle Award are entirely appropriate -- I do pay attention to it and it should have been in my original schedule (Trevor, please add it into yours). In some ways, for me it is a checklist -- so what did I miss? And yes, it often points me to a book or two. Personally, I think the Pulitzer list is better, but that is only a matter of opinion.</p> <p>I'd also like to go back to the original post on this line. For those of us who like to read fiction, there is a quite nice line of contests spread out through the year that at the very least put some titles up for consideration. If you combine that with some trolling through blogs and reviews, you can put together a pretty good reading schedule.</p> <p>And I salute the Man Booker people for making this forum available (because I don't think any of the other competitions do). I haven't done a rigorous search, but as far as I can tell contributions on this site have come from more than 10 different countries across the globe, with people expressing honest opinions about books they like and dislike (and juries they like and dislike) with no censorship from the administrators. In every single post, there has been respect for the opinions of others. I thought The White Tiger was a terrible book, but I am probably going to have to read it again on the basis of positive comments from others on this site. One of the best things about the Man Booker is that they created this forum so that book readers could communicate with each other -- and they deserve credit for that. Just as last year, I have met some wonderful new friends (albeit electonically) through this site. </p> <p>I will, of course, be scathing in criticizing the shortlist when it is released next week. </p>