The Mookse and the Gripes discussion

The judges for 2019 have been announced

Maura Dooley, professor at Goldsmiths’ and chair of the judges
(later replaced as Chair by Erica Wagner)
2018 shortlistee Guy Gunaratne
Icelandic novelist Sjón
New Statesman deputy culture editor Anna Leszkiewicz

Small changes to eligibility as well - prize is now open to writers of any nationality (not just UK and Irish) - but they have to have been in the UK & Ireland for 3 years.

Let the speculation begin...... see here for a list of possible contenders:

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

Interesting re Guy as I had heard rumours of him joining another judging panel

Seems he got a better bid!

It does continue the Goldsmith tradition of having past, and sometimes future, shortlistees as judges.

Sjón – what an interesting choice!

Is it still only for novels originally written in English? After only 3 years many authors coming from non-English speaking countries would still be more comfortable writing in their native language, and after much longer they may always feel they write their best work in it, even if they use English at a high level.

It is still for English originals (shame they don’t allow translations). But it does for example make Isabel Waidner eligible, who has a new book out soon, and she was one author I have seen welcoming the change.

I always think that when there is an rule change the judges are likely to pick at least one book that qualifies under the new rules.

Although the Booker judges only half did that with the Tramp Press inspired rule change, as the Irish publisher they featured was a Penguin Random House imprint.

I wonder if the judges will find a way to make Normal People eligible - the error of the omission of the book from last year's longlist is getting more and more glaring as time goes on, especially now the other prize which arose in reaction to the Stella-Booker, the Folio Prize, has longlisted it.

One of the judges is a big fan

https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/...

Well if they re-issue it as a different book so it is eligible in 2019 - which would involve rewriting all the words (which would improve the quality as well) then possibly yes.

I do worry a bit about this year's jury though: one is a Rooney fan, another the author of the book that should not have been on the 2018 list and who seems to have snubbed an invitation from a better prize, and the third someone who prefers to be known by a nickname ("the writer formerly known as Sigurjón Birgir Sigurðsson"). A lot of pressure is resting on the Chair's shoulders!

Incidentally surely Lanny has to be nailed on for the shortlist.

Normal is not experimental in the least. Definitely not goldsmiths material and I am a big Rooney fan

Well the 2018 prize went to a novel which (however good) could be said to use a literary form (epic poems) which predates the invention of the novel, so not sure innovation matters any more.

Indeed. But I was hoping 2018 was an aberration not a trend.

Have just finished Lanny. Quite brilliant. Would be very surprised (as well as disappointed) if this is not on the 2019 shortlist.

Agreed.

Lanny arrived in the mail yesterday and I didn’t remember ordering it and wondered why I had. I read the first page and fell in love! This is might be my favorite book this year. Max Porter is a whimsical genius. I read a lot of books that I really like every year, but only once or twice a year, if I’m very lucky, do I read a book that makes me feel almost light headed with delight, this is that book.
I ordered Grief is the Thing with Feathers when I realized that was why the author was familiar. This book has to make the shortlist for the Goldsmith and should have been on other shortlists!

I am frustrated we have our family game day today because all I want to do is wander in the world of Dead Papa Toothwort, Mad Pete, and Lanny, and Max Porter’s enchanting prose. I’m sure now that it was this thread that made me aware of Lanny so thank you!

I just finished Lanny and if this book doesn’t win something then I curse the gods of literary awards, even better I summon Old Papa Toothwort to rise up out of the gardens of literary judges and drag them under their own tree roots to spend the rest of eternity.

I'd like to see The Unauthorised Biography of Ezra Maas make the list although it seems destined to become one of those criminally overlooked novels in its own time, perhaps to gain cult status and greater acclaim in years to come. I'd love to be proven wrong though.

I think Lanny will definitely make the list. I'd put money on it. I'd like to see Isabel Waidner's new book on there too.

I totally agree with previous comments that Sally Rooney would be out of place on the list for this particular prize, but one thing I've learned is that if the organisers want a certain book on the list then they will find a way, one way or another, so it wouldn't shock me if Normal People made it.

Normal People is very much at the opposite end of the literary prize spectrum (hence why it picked up Costa, Waterstones, British Book award etc). And surely not eligible anyway as it would have been eligible last year. Now if you want to know what that will win next - 2020 Dublin Literary award is my guess.

I completely agree with Ezra Maas for the Goldsmiths longlist and I actually think it has a shot of making the list, especially if we're talking about novels that 'offer up new possibilities for the form' and 'embody the spirit of invention'.

Three Dreams in the Key of G, from the same publisher coincidentally, also deserves consideration. I was disappointed not to see it make the Republic of Consciousness Prize longlist.

As for the rest of the list, I'd be intrigued to see how many books from The RofC Prize make the jump to being considered for the Goldsmiths as I think it's the indie titles that are really pushing the boundaries when it comes to experimenting with the novel form and innovative techniques. The Goldsmiths judges could do a lot worse than look at the RofC and other 2018/19 releases from small indie presses - that's where they'll find the writers really testing the limits of what can be done with the novel.

Agree re Three Dreams ... that was my original judge’s vote for Not The Booker.

Is The Unauthorized Biography of Ezra Maas the kind of avant-garde fiction Paul and Graham like or is it simply experimental?

I ordered the e-book. It is frighteningly easy to have a book at one’s fingertips in mere moments.

WndyJW wrote: "Is The Unauthorized Biography of Ezra Maas the kind of avant-garde fiction Paul and Graham like or is it simply experimental?

I ordered the e-book. It is frighteningly easy to have a book at one’s..."

It's an immersive read. Not difficult at all. Like all of us have said, you'll experience the book.

I started it this morning and it is as you describe.

Try tweeting that you are reading it.

Or you could just look at your Twitter feed and discover that Daniel James is trending as you read it. This actually happened to me, although it was Paul who alerted me to it. And it turned out to be a different Daniel James. But it was pretty spooky for a while!

I am not convinced it was a different Daniel James - Manchester United, the mightiest club in the land, signing some youngster from Swansea City with only 30 odd professional games - rather dubious cover story if you ask me. Maas Foundation are slipping up.

I think the whole 'Daniel James' signing for Manchester Utd story was a smokescreen to bury the name of 'Daniel James' the author beneath endless football transfer news. Quite clever in a way although the very fact that so many of us realised it was a cover story almost immediately would suggest that - as Paul observes - he Maas Foundation may be slipping up...

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

I just hash tagged #TheUnauthorisedBiographyofEzraMaas on Twitter; if I don’t wake up in a crate outside of Oxford with no memory of the last 24 hours I’m going to be very disappointed.

Hah since I live in Malta, no such strange things happened. Other than the inevitable twitter following of the Maas Foundation.

Whatever you do, don't try and crack the code of Ezra Maas, there are many clues in the book, I've come close and my life has never been the same. Black vans following, weird people trying to contact me on twitter, people following me in the street....even the dog seems to have got a bit jumpy now as he barked at a squirrel the other day, that never happened before I read the book.

I'd love to see the book win an award, just to see who collects the award.

It could be like when Ferrante was nominated for the MBI and everyone was excited to see who turned up ... and it was the publisher. Although if Dan James and Salman Rushdie both end up Booker shortlisted this year, most of the sponsorship is going to be spent on security.

My theory on what would happen is somebody would get abducted off the street, black bag over the head, then carried out on stage, black bag removed and a speech thrust into the victims hand.

If this does in fact happen then it is proof that Ezra Maas can read my mind....

Or that you are Ezra Maas

woah! Don't out a fella like that what he only just joined this support group.

Paul wrote: "It could be like when Ferrante was nominated for the MBI and everyone was excited to see who turned up ... and it was the publisher. Although if Dan James and Salman Rushdie both end up Booker shor..."

Wasn't it Pynchon who sent an impersonator to accept his award for Gravity's Rainbow at the 1974 National US Book Awards? Who's to say this guy walking around calling himself Daniel James isn't an actor who has been paid to hire the part and the real author is underground...

Jason wrote: "woah! Don't out a fella like that what he only just joined this support group."

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain...

J wrote: "Jason wrote: "woah! Don't out a fella like that what he only just joined this support group."

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain..."

And most importantly... don't watch the film.

Jason wrote: "Whatever you do, don't try and crack the code of Ezra Maas, there are many clues in the book, I've come close and my life has never been the same. Black vans following, weird people trying to conta..."

There are definitely codes hidden throughout the book. We discovered a lot more on our second reading. If the first read through makes you look at the world differently, the second read through gives you a new perspective on the book, new layers emerge. It's a puzzle box of a book, but it's not static, it changes, deepens, shifts, almost like a living thing.

I have some notes written up ready for the second reading, a few odd theme/things throughout the book that I only noticed at the end.

Anybody watched the interviews on youtube?

This one is my favourite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QJGH...

See you’re getting sucked into the Ezra mass/Daniel James vortex. It happens to us

Jason wrote: "I have some notes written up ready for the second reading, a few odd theme/things throughout the book that I only noticed at the end.

Anybody watched the interviews on youtube?

This one is my fav..."

Wow, isn't that this lady? Coincidentally I just saw her on the news this morning promoting her new book from Bloomsbury: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/steampu...

Spooky!

I think this video is my favourite of the documentary interviews: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeK2d...

I can't believe Bryan Talbot, the Eisner award-winning creator of books like Tale of One Bad Rat Limited Edition, Grandville Mon Amour, Heart Of Empire: The Legacy Of Luther Arkwright 2nd Edition, The Adventures Of Luther Arkwright, Book One and Alice in Sunderland, went on the record with that crazy story about Ezra Maas.

Lewis wrote: "I think this video is my favourite of the documentary interviews: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeK2d...

I can't believe Bryan Talbot, the Eisner award-winning creator o..."

Yeah, there's a great piece in The Guardian about Talbot where they describe him as the 'Father of the British Graphic Novel' and the David Bowie of British Comics. High praise indeed.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...

Am I getting paranoid or are there at least four new members who’ve joined Goodreads in May and June with same books marked as favorites commenting on this thread?

Heh, yes it does look as if there are a few similar likes/shelvings

I joined because this place was talking about the book and I thought it was a support group for the survivors. :-)

Though your profile says you joined Goodreads in 2012

I make no apologies - my current reading/to-read list has been directly informed by this group's excellent taste. I've been adding all of the books everyone has been discussing. I've always loved literary fiction, particularly the more avant garde, experimental variety, and the various threads in this group, have introduced me to about 30 books I've now either ordered or have on my TBR list - so thank you!

You are very welcome to the group - and I think it is great that we are acting as a magnet for Ezra Maas fans - it's an exceptional novel.