21st Century Literature discussion

Here's a link to the shortlist for the 2014 Folio Prize -- http://www.thefolioprize.com/2014/02/.... According to the press release: "The Folio Prize aims to recognise and celebrate the best English-language fiction from around the world, published in the UK during a given year, regardless of form, genre or the author’s country of origin. It is the first major English-language book prize open to writers from all over the world."

The winner will be announced on March 10. A Folio Festival is being held in conjunction witlh the announcement of the award -- on March 8 & 9 -- at The British Library. Most of the authors of the books and authors on the judges panel will be speaking on a panel. I wish I could be in London for some of the panels! http://www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions/....


The shortlist of 7 books competing for the 40,000 GBP prize is composed of:
Red Doc>
Schroder
Last Friends
Benediction
The Flamethrowers
A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing
A Naked Singularity
Tenth of December

Tenth of December featured some of the best short-fiction I read last year, that one would definitely be a worthy winner.
Any recommendations for the other books? A Naked Singularity sounds interesting.

Sam wrote: "Tenth of December featured some of the best short-fiction I read last year, that one would definitely be a worthy winner.
Any recommendations for the other books? A Naked Singularity sounds intere..."

Sam, have only read The Flame Throwers by Rachel Kushner myself (it was our selection here just a bit ago and was a good read), but have started to collect comments on these others 'cause most are "new" to me.

Startling (and thought of Angela Carter), was my first reaction to:

"Anne Carson's Red Doc> is a follow-up to her acclaimed 1998 novel in verse, Autobiography of Red. Part poem, part play/tragedy/opera, part novel, it is what we have come to expect from the genre-bending Canadian poet."

"...it's also surreally-funny..."

"Yet again Anne Carson proves she's one of the greatest and most innovative writers in the language. This book is equal parts baffling and beautiful..."

"...expect.. a dreamlike dirge as you experience what life is like on the way out of the labyrinth." (that review was 5 star?!)

I read reviews here without feeling I had encountered a spoiler (others may not agree):

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Thanks a lot, Lily! I'll definitely check out The Flamethrowers next time I'm at the library.

And the winner is ......

Tenth of December by George Saunders

http://www.foliosociety.com/blog/the-...

This prize looks interesting, one to keep an eye on -- apparently it was conceived partly in response to the idea that the Booker was becoming too focused on readability.

I would have loved to have been in the room with the judges, not only for the discussion focused on the final decision but for discussion related to the selection of the short list.

Terry, Linda -- any obvious clues on likely predilections here? I don't know these well enough to have an opinion.

Lavinia Greenlaw , Chair of the jury – comprising international writers
Michael Chabon , Sarah Hall , Nam Le and Pankaj Mishra – made the announcement at a press conference at the British Library today, alongside Toby Hartwell, MD of The Folio Society and Andrew Kidd, MD of Aitken Alexander Associates and founder of The Folio Prize.

http://www.thefolioprize.com/2014/02/...

Tenth of December (George Saunders) was also named one of the top five fictional books of 2013 by The New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/15/boo...

I know Michael Chabon is considered a bit zany/postpostmodern/varied in style/original. I haven't read any of them.

I have read four of Michael Chabon's books, and I enjoyed all of them. They were each in a somewhat different style or mood, but all were well-written.

I've read a lot of Chabon. I read his first book - The Mysteries of Pittsburgh - when it came out as I was lived in Pittsburgh then. I did not like it, but, for some reason, I continued to read his books. I liked them more and more. I absolutely loved The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. Others that I really liked were Summerland and The Yiddish Policemen's Union.