CanadianContent discussion

check this out: https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment...

I sure hope a change of sponsor will mean returning to the old rules, where the prize is open to English writers from the Commonwealth only.

I hope so too, Louise.

new sponsor news: https://www.cbc.ca/books/booker-prize...

Glad to see some "seemingly bookish" people, are guaranteeing to sponsor the Man Booker Regular and also International Prize for at least 5 years. As the new sponsors are from California's Silicone Valley, I doubt that there will be a return to Commonwealth only nominations - although I rather like the more global perspective myself.

The 2019 Man Booker International Long List was announced on March 13, 2019. It's a very eclectic collection of books from around the world (originally published in a language other than English.)

Of the 13 nominated books, 11 were published by smaller independent presses. Looks like a nice variety of choices if you're looking to read more globally. Unfortunately, finding the books may be a bit difficult before the short list announcement on April 9, 2019.

A link to the written list of the 13 nominated books:
https://themanbookerprize.com/interna...

A link to the book's cover pictures and book synopsis
https://themanbookerprize.com/interna...

Some of these books are hard to find. I got both The Years and Four Soldiers from my library but in French, and I have Drive your Plow over the Bones of the Dead coming as part of my subscription with Fitzcarraldo. So I'll start with those.

Good news about the Booker sponsor, Mj.

I'm very much looking forward to Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead because I loved her Flights--it was my favourite book of 2018.
Perhaps we can compare notes, Louise.

I've read Mouthful of Birds and it was good--though not, I don't think, Booker-worthy. Might try The Pine Islands

Has anyone tried anything by Can Xue?

Louise wrote: "Some of these books are hard to find."


You're right about the books being hard to find....but they might get sped up now. That's the good thing about International Awards. I think the announcements and news articles etc. help get the books published much more quickly for a worldwide readership.

4 of the books are not due out in Canada until after The Short List is announced - At Dusk, The Pine Islands, The Faculty of Dreams/Valerie and The Remainder. If you're interested 2 of these 4 books are currently available and the other 2 will be available within a week on Amazon UK. I have had a fair amount of success buying new and used books this way.

All the rest are currently available somewhere in Canada. I'm on hold for 2 - just ordered at my library - Mouthful of Birds and Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead.

Storyheart wrote: "I'm very much looking forward to Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead because I loved her Flights--it was my favourite book of 2018.
Perhaps we can compare notes, Louise. .."

Would love to compare notes. Not sure when I will get to it though. I still have Flights to read! But that I will be reading by May for sure for one of my book clubs. Many have said that Flights is the better of the two but I'm sure both are worth reading.

Here is the 2020 list: https://thebookerprizes.com/booker-pr...

I am so disappointed in this list. It is mostly American :-(. The only ones I want to read are:

This Mournable Body by Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe)
The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste (Ethiopia/USA)

I hadn't heard of many of the books, to be honest!

I'm disappointed in the list being primarily American too! The Booker used to be a wonderful way to discover UK and Commonwealth writers.

The only one I've read so far is Such a Fun Age, which I enjoyed.

I was a bit surprised at the list having so many American authors as well. When I was looking into some of the titles last night, there were one or two that are actually not current titles but must be current in the UK, so that is odd too.

The only one I've read is Such a Fun Age, which I thought was just okay. I'm currently about halfway through The Mirror & the Light.

I was quite disappointed with the list as well. I read the Anne Tyler earlier this year and it was a yawn-fest.

I'm planning to read This Mournable Body as I enjoyed the prequel Nervous Conditions so much. And the The Mirror & the Light because I've read the other two in the trilogy. But the rest don't grab me at all.

Emmkay wrote: "I'm disappointed in the list being primarily American too! The Booker used to be a wonderful way to discover UK and Commonwealth writers.
"

Emmkay, The Guardian's "Not the Booker" prize has uncovered a few good Commonwealth titles for me over the past few years.

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

Thanks, Storyheart! Not that I need more books on my list, ha ha - but I love that aspect of some of the literary prizes, discovering an author or book that might not otherwise have caught my eye.

Emmkay, hope you find many good books there!

I wanted information on this year’s Booker nomination and I came across a book tuber who has an excellent breakdown of many of the nominees. The YouTube channel and blog is called The Lonesome Reader-an odd title because this guy reads so much and is so erudite that it is incredible. He’s also very modest. I find a lot of the book tubers sort of annoying but this fellow is easy to listen to and an incredible reader. Somehow he has befriended Joyce Carol Oates and they have this conversation which sounds like two friends chatting.

The shortlist has been announced with no Mantel.

https://thebookerprizes.com/booker-pr...

Today Shuggie Bain by Scottish author Douglas Stuart was announced as the 2020 Booker Prize winner. It is Stuart's first novel and from the reviews I've read, it seems it will be a popular choice among readers.

https://thebookerprizes.com/booker-pr...

I liked Shuggie Bain and am happy it won. I ended up reading 4 of the 6 shortlisted books and it was my favourite by quite a big margin.

I read 5 of the 6. It was a weak list this year. Seems to be getting worse every year since they allowed American books in. But Shuggie Bain was the best from this year's lot but still paled in comparison to say, Angela's Ashes.

I'm glad to hear this news. Shuggie Bain was the one book on the shortlist that caught my eye.

https://www.cbc.ca/books/canadians-ma...

Mary Lawson and Rachel Cusk makes the list!

I have no idea why the Mary Lawson made the long list. I found the plot embarrassingly juvenile in places. I haven’t read her earlier books that I’ve heard were great,but I couldn’t call this great literature by any means.