The Mookse and the Gripes discussion

The shortlist has just been announced.

Helm by Sarah Hall (Faber & Faber)
The Expansion Project by Ben Pester (Granta Books)
We Pretty Pieces of Flesh by Colwill Brown (Chatto & Windus)
We Live Here Now by C.D. Rose (Melville House)
The Catch by Yrsa Daley-Ward (Merky Books)
Nova Scotia House by Charlie Porter (Particular Books)

I think all of these except the Pester are the correct physical editions - as far as I can see there is only a Kindle edition of that one here but it seems to have the ISBN for the paper book, which makes me think the Amazon bots have messed things up again.

Will create book threads shortly.

Unsurprisingly I have read none of these.

Really happy with this list.

I’ve read two: We Pretty Pieces of Flesh (which I loved) and Nova Scotia House (which I didn’t love, but can see why it’s here).

Helm and The Expansion Project are both on my bedside table waiting to be read.

And I was looking at We Live Here Now in a bookshop just today, so I think I might pop back and get it tomorrow.

Yes I think it’s a great list.

Helm and We Pretty Things of Flesh really should have made the Barker

I liked Expansion Project which I deliberately read in September thinking it might make the Goldsmith and just formulating thoughts on The Catch as I literally read it this week.

I was very aware of the other two - both on Listopia.

And as I posted elsewhere quite some week for Colwill Brown - she already this week was shortlisted for the Centre For Fiction First Novel Prize and won the BBC short story prize (with a chapter from the novel)

OK, I think everything is in place now, so I am signing off for the day to get some reading done.

I'm starting The Expansion Project tomorrow. Hope to get the others soon.

Thanks as always Hugh. We massively appreciate your efforts.

Go Porter, go! It's the queer novel of the year. The Pester's also good, but heart wants what it wants.

it's a shame how hard it is to get these books here! We pretty pieces of Flesh is already on my to read, and I think I'll order Porter and Pester. Very intriguing list.

Looks a great list. I had 5 of the 6 on my Listopia predictions - The Catch was one I’d missed.

I have only read 2 so far.

While I am delighted to see Pester and CD Rose’s novels, in both cases, and I say that as someone who generally prefers the novel form, I would recommend their previous short story collections probably above these. Am I In the Right Place and Walter Benjamin Stares at the Sea.

I do wish the Goldsmiths allowed short stories, not least as when stretching genres the story collection/novel boundary can blur.

What’s missed out?

Goldsmiths tends to like revisiting past authors (or judges) but all of following didn’t make it: Universality; Jesus Christ Kinski, TonyInterruptor, One Boat and A New New Me.

At least first three of those were strong contenders

No Booker books either - always used to be one although I think less in recent years.

Others - Big Kiss Bye Bye (but was it entered in time?); Notre Dame is Burning; Muckle Flugga and Spit are all ones that would not have surprised me.

TonyInterruptor was the first one that came to mind, but I also wouldn’t have been surprised to see Issa Quincy’s Absence. Wasn’t entirely successful for me but does some interesting stuff with memory and second/third hand stories.

Both of those plus the Pester are from Granta though. I don’t know what kind of publisher limits the Goldsmiths has.

Kate Potter’s The Absolutes is another one that I thought might have an outside shot. Haven’t read it yet but it’s got a bit of a Max Porter vibe to the typesetting.

This is a great shortlist! I've got Nova Scotia House on audio. I'm in position 1 in my library for Helm and We Pretty (that I did not have time to finish before returning it).

Ben wrote: "I also wouldn’t have been surprised to see Issa Quincy’s Absence. Wasn’t entirely successful for me but does some interesting stuff with memory and second/third hand stories.

Both of those plus the Pester are from Granta though. I don’t know what kind of publisher limits the Goldsmiths has.

Kate Potter’s The Absolutes is another one that I thought might have an outside shot"

Thanks for the mention of those two - both look interesting.

On the publishers There is no limit to the number of titles that may be entered by a publisher or bona fide imprint, provided the works entered meet all other entry requirements

Doesn't mean though that judges might not think 'hang on we've got 3 Granta books'

Thanks for doing this Hugh, much appreciated.

I've already read Helm and We Pretty Pieces of Flesh, both of which are very worthy of inclusion.

I was a bit late ordering as I was away for a few days earlier in the week, but the whole shortlist has just arrived in one box, so I'm looking forward to catching up soon.

I'm still struggling to get We Pretty Pieces. Gumble promised it to me months ago but keeps 'forgetting it'; Amazon don't have it; and Awesome Books seems to be one of those where the delivery is rather slower than advertised. So still waiting on that one

Former Goldsmiths Prize winner, Isabel Waidner, has a new novel out in February in the UK & June in the U.S.--As If

Paul has already arranged ARCs for the two of us from Isabel.

we live here now does not work for me. I feel lost, but in a loosing interest kind of way. Pester was interesting, but rather academic. and we pretty pieces of Flesh was incomprehensible to me - but then I found the audio book, and I love the language/tone now that I can understand what is going on!

Just saw Eric Karl Anderson's video today and I'm interested in reading these if I can get a hold of them. Most of them have queues on Libby. I'm most interesting in Daley-Ward. i have her bone, a collection of poetry, which I really like but haven't read anything else by her since.

I’ve read 5 of the shortlist, and I’m just starting We Live Here Now this morning. Honestly, I find it really hard to say which one should win, or even just which is my favourite. So far, 5 excellent novels.

If pressed for an opinion, I’d say this is a better shortlist than the Booker, but only by a very tight margin. 2025 has been a very good year for novels - some light in a dark year.

Just finished the shortlist, and for me it is a very strong one. I'm also finding rankings very difficult, but I know where my halfway line is, with Helm, We Pretty Pieces of Flesh and We Live Here Now the standouts, and they are such different books that comparisons don't feel fair. Can see a case for any of the six winning.

I agree it's a very strong list - nicely varied as well.

Gumble's Yard and I had a nice chat with one of the judges at the shortlist readings - think we've mentioned before that we went to the local state sixth form in Norfolk with his brother. We showed him the Listopia (many of which had been entered) and discussed some of the books we liked that didn't make it - sounded as if it was a strong year and he could happily have shortslisted several others (the Klein Blue team may have been a bit unlucky to miss out).

Interestingly, it seems that Jesus Christ Kinski wasn't entered - which as a past winner surprised me.

Although we did agree with the judge that this year's list was pleasingly more diverse than past shortlisted authors/previous judges/London creative writing lecturers who have rather dominated in the past.

The really striking thing at the readings - more for that judge than me as I was aware - was how many of the authors were from the North (Yrsa Daley-Ward Chorley, CD Rose Manchester, Colwill Brown Doncaster, Sarah Hall Carlisle) - the last two were of course obvious from their novels but I think he had pegged the first two as being from London

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "The really striking thing at the readings - more for that judge than me as I was aware - was how many of the authors were from the North (Yrsa Daley-Ward Chorley, CD Rose Manchester, Colwill Brown ..."

I was tickled that the village of Culgaith got a mention in Helm - I lived there for a year or so back in the 90s.

CD Rose wins - the best fit to the prize criteria I think if not my favourite of the books.

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "CD Rose wins - the best fit to the prize criteria I think if not my favourite of the books."
Agree on both counts, though it didn't miss my top spot by much.

Agreed - I read it before the Goldsmiths listing and has some reservations (the stories are a little too diverse; wasn't clear if he was satirising pretentious art or embracing it - a bit of both I think; and Ezra Maas has set a high bar on mysterious artists). I also came to it with very high expectations.

But as an entry to this prize, it is the deserving winner.

Porter had more heft, to be honest. But all in all not a bad choice.

Article by Simon Okotie on the winner (paywalled but can register for free)

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

Includes this - the number of short-story writers on the list this year was a feature:

The distinction between short- and long-form fiction is a convention the novel is well-placed to challenge. This year’s Goldsmiths Prize-winner uses a series of linked short stories to undermine both the traditional workings of novelistic plot and the ontological status of the fictional characters that are supposedly “developed” by it. In the process it traces the invisible circuits and networks – of art, capital and war – that shape our lives.

Although (not sure if it is in article) Simon rejected when he spoke to us the idea that pure unconnected short story collections should be eligible - as he feels the prize is about the novel form.

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Although (not sure if it is in article) Simon rejected when he spoke to us the idea that pure unconnected short story collections should be eligible - as he feels the prize is about the novel form."

It isn't - and yes he did say that. And I think it is more books like Pond, or indeed this book (which I've seen people describe as a story collection, rather than a novel) that ought to count.

And then there are the cases where the author avows it's a novel even though the stories seem completely unconnected - e.g. David Szalay's previous Booker book.

He explicitly said he did not think Pond was eligible I recall mainly due to the publisher labelling it a short story collection?

And these judges chose not to pick that authors latest?

Are my recollections correct?

I thought you told him that on Pond

And yes for the latest sounded he liked it but it didn’t make the cut from overall panel.

No he said it on Pond.