Longlist Debate

Would you have picked this title?

Pleasantly surprised to see the longlist announced so early in the day. Glad I was refreshing when I was!

A bit disappointed that two of the books aren’t released yet. Have just ordered six of the others that take my fancy. I’m avoid the Rushdie and the O’Neill as I read reviews in the LRB that lead me to believe that neither will be to my taste. Although I might come back to them later if anyone I trust can convince me.

Shocked at the size of a couple of the others, plus 700 pages! It’s ‘Darkmans’ all over again! Again, I might save those till later depending on what my fellow Booker readers think.

Looking forward to those books hitting the doormat and getting stuck in!

Disappointed not to see Tim Winton's Breath or Helen Garner's The Spare Room. But undoubtedly a strong year.

Of the books I've read I think that four of them fully deserve to be on there. Really enjoyed Secret Scripture, The Northern Clemency and Netherland. Currently reading A Fraction of the Whole and loving that too.

Although I thought the Rushdie, Hanif and Adiga were good I personally enjoyed other books more, and really didn't enjoy Sea of Poppies - going to have to go back to it as I stopped halfway through. Disappointed that Breath, The Imposter, God's Own Country and the Behaviour of Moths didn't make it.

Interesting that after having two female winners over the past two years and only 3 of the 13 this year are written by women.

And very surprised with Child44 being longlisted. I really enjoyed it and I'm pleased to see it there, but didn't see it as a Booker book at all.

(I wrote this on the General Discussions board.)

I think the list is a bit of a shock for me. Early results this year.

But Chastings,I'm glad that A Case of Exploding Mangoes made it though I read that you didn't care that much for it but so too, Sebastian Barry's The Secret Scripture.

Is Rushdie there again? Yes, Rushdie IS there yet again.

Michelle de Krester is a SriLankan writer living in Melbourne. I think one of the earlier posters will be really pleased that John O'Neill made it as well.

I'm going to go broke, that's for sure. :-)

First of all, I have to say "bravo" to the judges for getting the list out early in the day. Thanks.
Secondly, I'm so happy to find that I only had to order 3 titles from the UK. So, my wallet is pleased with the longlist.
Finally, I'm thrilled that I'll be reading authors I've never heard of - that is the best thing about this prize for me. I have been introduced to authors that I have developed long-term relationships with, and I'm sure this year will be no different.
Let the reading commence!

You're right, mmrobinson. Very well put. It's more the introduction to all the fabulous new titles that's exciting isn't it. I for one am really looking forward to reading Michelle de Krester. But having said that, my wallet will be in tears.

I think some excellent books are on the longlist. My favourites are the Rushdie and Sebastian Barry and Steve Toltz novels, all of which I think are superb books that deserve wider audiences and I think bits of Netherland are breathtakingly beautiful and that this is a very interesting novel too.

But I cannot respect a judging committee that decides to pick a book like Child 44, a fairly well-written and well-paced thriller that is no more than that, over novels as exceptional as Helen Garner's The Spare Room or Ross Raisin's God's Own Country.

I will declare my bias - as the publisher at Canongate I had a vested interest in seeing The Spare Room make the shortlist. But from an objective point of view this novel has been as well-reviewed as any book Canongate has ever published (including Life of Pi, The Crimson Petal and the White, The Secret River, Lanark, The People's Act of Love and Carry Me Down.) As well as the book getting exceptional reviews, I received remarkable and heartfelt responses from a whole array of other novelists about the book pre-publication including Peter Carey ("The Spare Room is a perfect novel"), Hilary Mantel, John Banville, Alberto Manguel, Diana Athill and Michel Faber, any one of whom I would respect as a judge of serious fiction more than all five of these judges put together.

One has to be philosophical about these things and as a publisher particularly so as you come to realise what a lottery these prizes are. Rilke once wrote, "Nothing affects a book as little as words of criticism" and regardless of what a panel decides the book is the book and time will tell which of these books are still being read in ten years time. I am certain that The Spare Room is a modern classic that will continue to be read and enjoyed and appreciated long after all of us are dead.

Jamie Byng
Publisher
Canongate Books

Like redbrown I am amazed that neither Tim Winton nor Helen Garner made it, as both were exceptional. I agree that it is a strong year for fiction, but the judges missed most of it. This is more Richard and Judy than Booker and the airport novel has finally been recognised with Child 44.

My hopes now rest with Aravind Adiga and Joseph O'Neill, although maybe I am being unfair to John Berger and Gaynor Arnold, about whose books I know nothing.

I yawned my face off when I saw Salman Rushdie on this list. I bet Portillo and him 'lunch'.

Apparently 1 in 44 children don't get enough Helen Garner in their diet.