The Mookse and the Gripes discussion

These are the shortlisted books:

Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein (Granta Books)
If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery (Fourth Estate)
This Other Eden by Paul Harding (Hutchinson Heinemann)
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch (Oneworld Publications)
Western Lane by Chetna Maroo (Picador)
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray (Hamish Hamilton)

The Independent article was up before the official announcement was made. Just saying.

Pleased to see the Bernstein made it.

I’m pleased by this, mostly for the Bernstein.

I am in a bus, using a slow 4g signal. Will catch up asap

The battle of the Pauls continues.

Me too, I was so happy about Bernstein. Surprised about Western Lane.

The only big surprise for me is Western Lane. A case can be made for all the others to be on the shortlist, even though I would’ve decided differently.

Bernstein and Escoffery both surprise me, but I am very happy! after the discussion here i felt quite alone with my love for if I Survive you.

Agreed, Gwendolyn.

I’m particularly glad The Bee Sting made the list because I’ve only read the first 80 pages, and this will give me the motivation I’m likely to need to finish it.

Western lane also got rather bad press here. maybe I do need to read it to figure out where I stand. :) maybe pro Squash?

Anna wrote: "Bernstein and Escoffery both surprise me, but I am very happy! after the discussion here i felt quite alone with my love for if I Survive you."

I also loved If I Survive You, so you’re not alone, Anna! I had it on my shortlist.

When they announced Western Lane I actually screamed a big "WHAT" since that book was unexpected to me. Also, I don't think many people saw that coming since it's not a highly liked one I'd say.

Why would Western Lane be there instead of Pearl. That choice feels particularly odd to me.

Sad for In Ascension. I guess this makes Prophet Song the favourite?

Odds on a North American winner much improved...

It seems I had 5 out of 6 hhhhhhhh

But really happy for Lynch and Bernstein, they deserve it

I saw the independent headlines but they as taken the article down. I was able to successfully guess 4 of the books though from that.

For me I loved three books: Eden, Prophet song, study

I did not personally like bee sting but it resonates so widely it had to make the list.

So my four non negotiables were there. Can’t argue with that.

As long as western lane or I survive you don’t win I think they have just about rescued the list in my eyes.

Cindy wrote: "Why would Western Lane be there instead of Pearl. That choice feels particularly odd to me."

That's what I think too.

Ok a shortlist with a couple of surprises- I didn’t expect if I survive you or western lane to be there

Having read 3 of the 6, I am happy to say I could enjoy if one of those three won... This Other Eden. But as I am halfway through Prophet Song I am also pleased that I could also support that book as well.

I had thought that The House of Doors might stand a chance - surely a much stronger candidate than Western Lane

I'm quite disappointed that Pearl and All the little bird hearts didn't make the list either

Aditi wrote: "I had thought that The House of Doors might stand a chance - surely a much stronger candidate than Western Lane"

Completely agree. That and Pearl are the omissions I am most surprised by.

There's always one that makes the shortlist that outrages most of this group!

gwendolyn, true! I saw your comment. good to remember I am not alone. :)

my three favorites made it, and i had the Beesting at five. If they had only included Pearl, I would have been very happy. well, I got more than expected. :)

Emily wrote: "There's always one that makes the shortlist that outrages most of this group!"
That was why I had Boat in my predictions...

Western Lane instead of Pearl makes it less of a white list

Where's my fellow Western Lane fan? I remember someone else being a big supporter. Virtual high five, lol.

Will count the correct predictions tomorrow

I guess I am am going to have to continue to preach the merits of Western Lane, and for an example I will note the values stressed are quite refreshing when compared to what values are most often seen in books today.
Meanwhile, fans of The Bèe Sting are going to have to show me why they favor that one since the only remark that resounded with me was Hugh's, "Contrived." I figured out what I wasn't seeing intially with Milkman , but Bee Sting has me stumped. It turned out to be my Waterloo because I only read one more book from the longlist after forcing myself to finish Bee Sting.

Lee wrote: "Where's my fellow Western Lane fan? I remember someone else being a big supporter. Virtual high five, lol."

Dual posting! Go Western Lane!

I've read 8 of the long list. My favourite four didn't make it, the other four did. Ho hum.

Edugyan mentioned that the "conversations were never dull", it was "contentious" and they had "a range of tastes and disciplines". This makes me think the judges' taste in books is not very aligned, which reflects in the final shortlist.

But_i_thought_: Interesting observation! it would explain why most predictions were a bit off. maybe instead of compromise candidates, the judges got their favorite in the end?

This year’s process has felt surprising all around—I just haven’t been as dazzled as I usually am with at least a few of the nominees. And of the list, my favorites (“Pearl,” “House of Doors”) didn’t make it to the finals. I did not love “If I Survive You” or “Western Lane.” That being said, I did admire the Paul Harding novel and I’m reading “Prophet Song” now and so far it feels very promising—it may well become my favorite of the whole list. I think I’ll also have time to read the “Bee Sting,” but I’m not sure about “Study for Obedience.” Anyone else think that it is a must read?

Anna wrote: "maybe instead of compromise candidates, the judges got their favorite in the end?"

Yes. To me, it looks like they struggled to agree on the shortlist.

The Guardian's take "Just One British Writer Makes Booker Prize Shortlist," seems a bit odd when Bernstein was a "Best young British novelist" at Granta. Apparently permanent residency gets you nowhere in Britain?

https://www.theguardian.com/books/202...

Remarkably, two of the six shortlisted titles were among the 13 specifically requested by the judges, while the other four were among the 150 submitted by publishers.

From The Irish times. What are these two books?

This paragraph from The Guardian was striking:

The discussion to decide the shortlist lasted between four and four and a half hours, Edugyan said, adding that the debates were “often enthralling, sometimes intimate, sometimes charged”. Webb said that it was very difficult to let go of certain books, particularly in the case of Sebastian Barry, who was longlisted for the fifth time for his novel Old God’s Time. “I deeply regret a couple of the books that aren’t there, but we can’t all have our way all the time. But the meetings were largely convivial,” he said.

Cerrainly not the books I expected. I had only managed to read 5 of the longlisted books and only one (my favourite, This Other Eden) is listed.So I have some reading to do!

However, the three books I collected from the library this week are all there...I was wondering if I would read them, but now I have no excuse not to.

I am guessing that reference is to books the publishers submitted as possible call ins rather than ones the judges called in out of the blue.

Remember the rules did change this year to make more call ins and less entries from big publishers.

I am as looking on Twitter and have just seen that a longlisted but not shortlisted author has blocked me!!

Have you tweeted about his/her book? weird reaction! Some people are sore loosers.

No - it must be from here or Instagram. I did rank their book last of the longlist but I was far from alone.

Aditi wrote: "I had thought that The House of Doors might stand a chance - surely a much stronger candidate than Western Lane"

everything was a stronger candidate than Western Lane ...

disappointed all around - shortlist and longlist. I guessed 3 correctly but they were the easy ones - shame about Pearl, it was my biggest surprise of the year. Will finish the brilliant but depressing Prophet Song now and attempt Bee Sting. I got through about 20 pages of Obedience ... won't try again.

I predicted four, but am not thrilled that I did- was hoping that I would be wrong, especially about Eden.

I’m glad I was wrong about about In Ascension and How to Build a Boat, though.

I guess this means I have to try not to break a toe while finishing Bee Sting. My biggest disappointments were Pearl and Bird Hearts- I really hoped they could get even more attention by making the shortlist. I really liked both of them.

My first year doing this. I got 3 right. Surprised and a bit sad that House of Doors didn’t make it.