Longlist Debate

Panther: I'd like to suggest a draft reading prize program for you, based on my own. It would require somewhat more diligence on your part, but I think you would find it rewarding. Here's my program, based on a July to July year:

1. In early July, I start in on this discussion group to catch up on Commonwealth fiction. I find I get as many worthwhile recommendations from the pre-longlist discussion as I do from the longlist itself. I've read 12 of 13 -- along with almost as many non-listed. I'll probably reread a couple of the shortlist (I've actually read 7 of the 12 at least twice already) but my Man Booker reading is pretty much done.
2. The longlist for the Giller Prize for Canadian fiction gets released Sept. 15 (you are allowed to skip this category). So for those of you patting yourself on the back for reading a longlist, consider that I am still waiting for one to start. I expect to have already read at least a third of it -- shortlist is Oct. 7, prize announced Nov. 11. I'm not super rigorous about reading the longlist, leaving out books I obviously won't like, but do read the entire shortlist.
3. The Governor-General's Award for Canadian fiction (little known fact: It was founded by John Buchan, author of The 39 Steps, when he was Canadian Governor-General) shortlist is announced in mid-October, prize in November. There is usually overlap with the Giller -- I monitor this one for books the Giller jury overlooked, always read the winner. Again, a category you can ignore.
4. The U.S. National Book Awards and runners-up get announced in mid-November (you'll note in the U.S. you only get to do post-decision opinionating). I try to read the winner, give consideration to the runners-up. If you think the Man Booker longlist is a challenge in strange books, try reading all the NBA books (there are usually only five or six) sometime. Weird.
5. By December, newspapers start publishing Best of the Year list, which I monitor to see what I might have missed. (I don't follow UK papers on this -- you might want to.) For North America, you want two NY Times sources -- the Sunday Book Review best list (which I don't like that much) and even more important the lists from the reviewers in the daily. Can be monitored off the web.
6. January to April is spent doing catch up -- I'll have a suggestion for your program later.
7. Pulitzer winner and runners-up get announced around April 1 -- usually only three or four books. For my money, the best American contest and I usually try to read those I haven't read already (most years, that's only one or two). Again, no chance to form your opinion in advance.
8. In mid-April, both the Orange Prize and IMPAC announce their shortlist. I monitor both (especially IMPAC which catches a lot that gets missed elsewhere -- Out Stealing Horses is a book I never heard of until it won the IMPAC and is definitely on my list of best books of the last two years). Winners are usually announced in early June.
9. The Commonwealth Writers' Prize four regions also announce winners in mid-May -- again I monitor, frequently find titles, but certainly don't try to read them all.
10. Given your tastes, you get annother contest -- you've expressed admiration for P.D. James, who I certainly think is a very good writer, I just don't like the genre -- with the Edgars, the Mystery Writers of America award. Watch out for this one, they have five or six awards. I don't think they have shortlists -- winners get announced in late April or early May.

So there's a year's worth of reading for you, except for the Jan. to March period. What I would suggest is that you look at an April to March calendar -- and use Jan. to March for Panther's own Best of the Best contest, to pull together your personal results from all the contests. Given that there is a void in that category of contest, you might actually be able to find a corporate sponsor.

I find that my program keeps me in touch with pretty much all recently published English language fiction -- reading blogs and published reviews does fill in the gaps (I exempt Canadian fiction from that since I am constantly reading and trolling in that genre, with the help of several friends who read as much as I do). Also, I don't just read "prize" fiction -- this program occupies perhaps a third to a half my reading time, the rest is other discoveries, rereading books and catching up on classics that I've overlooked.

As I said, it would take increased diligence on your part -- but asking for some organization like the Man Booker or its jury to do your selecting for you is, frankly, lazy. Also, your local Borders probably is going to be missing quite a few non-UK titles and you are going to have to become an online buyer. I know I can do that from my side of the Atlantic, I'm sure you can do it from yours.

Cheers,

KevinfromCanada

Just to put a fox into the henhouse (and while I generally agree with Trevor's comment), Updike's last novel -- The Terrorist -- would not have made my longlist, had it been eligible. It is a dreadful book, proving even good authors can write very bad books. The last Roth I've read -- Exit Ghost (since I haven't read Everyman) -- might have made my longlist, definitely not short. And you would have had to read the previous 8 Zuckerman books even to get it into the longlist.

Panther should be happy -- they both have new books due out this fall.

There's always talk of opening the Booker to Americans, though less talk of opening the Pulitzer to non-Americans. I wonder why?

Unfortunately, Panther, Updike and Roth are not in the consideration for the Booker Prize since they are not citizens of the Commonwealth of the Republic of Ireland. There definitely are no books on the longlist this year that come close to matching their brilliant feats of writing, though.

Having now had a chance to see most of the longlist books, but not all as my local Borders still has not stocked some of them, I feel that none of the books are worthy of winning a Booker prize.

But I suppose the judges have to put something forward. I still like "White Tiger" as the best of a poor bunch and I hope it wins. I see that Ladbrookes now have it as second favorite. I think the judges may have put "Child 44" in as a testing of the waters in an attempt to bring other genres in. If that is the case, there are better books than which could have been put in. I would be surprised if Child 44 doesn't make the short list, just to make the point.

I just hope that the organizers will see sense and do something to liven the thing up a little in future years.

Wouldn't it be great if we saw books by Updike and Roth on the list, or writers like them.

Panther

Well, I read Child 44 and I would agree that it's not the kind of book I would expect to see on the long list. I felt spoon fed. Exactly the kind of book you buy at the airport on the way to a lazy beach holiday and then donate to the hotel on leaving. A slightly overworked first novel but quite exciting in it's whodunit way.

After reading the above posts I became intrigued with The Spare Room, went right out to buy it and read it last night. My expectations were topped only buy my disappointment. I was neither moved nor amused and I would not recommend this book to you, don't get me wrong, I don't think the book was bad but I found no joy or insight from reading it. I do not object to the judges decision not to include this book on the list, in fact it made me more inclined to forgive the inclusion of Child 44.

I'm continuing to work my way through the list with a little more faith than yesterday, and following on from The Sea of Poppies I think that as long as I don't come across anything remotely as bad as the yawn fest of last years winner, I just may enjoy this year's offerings.

Hi Johnself,

:) @ finished!!!

I really did like Adiga, perhaps reading it from this side of the world has its advantages?

Sorry, I meant the Spare Room, i must have been glancing at the title on my desk (The Secret Room) and posted it w/o checking...I deserve a rap on the head for that >:):)

Seriously, I have just ordered The Clothes on their Backs online...in spite of our living in a globalised village, the bookshop says they cant get it before the short list is announced...I cant wait to read that...

"The Secret...", yasho? Not sure what you're referring to here?

"I finished Adiga (great!!!)" - yep, that's how I felt when I finished it too. ;-)

I really think Rushdie should beg off the Booker list for a short interval. I remember reading the judge's blog on how a previous winner automatically gets included in the reccommendations, and think its a pity Rushdie writes at all, if it is to enter the Booker list most undeservedly, upsetting books like 'The Secret..."

I have read his "Midnight's Children" and that's the end of my aquaintance with him. Have never felt like reading any of his other books...Same goes with Amitav Ghosh, the pirates and their history,(OMG three of them?) doesnt appeal to me, so am not going to read him first either. I want to read the more appealing themes first.

I finished Adiga ( great!!!), am starting on Hanif (looks good) and am waiting for the Other nominated books published outside my country to arrive at my library/bookshop to get them. My list might get shorter if I have a long wait and the short list comes in before that...

Ah... have just finished The Northern Clemency and with it, the Booker longlist. (Although I don't recommend the Hensher, the navel-gazing pomposity of the closing scene has to be read to be believed. Turn to page 736 now!)

So in answer to the question at the top of this thread, What do you think of the 2008 longlist?, I can now answer, four long weeks later: "It's like banging your head against a brick wall: lovely when it stops."