The Booker Prize Long List.
Includes a book which has not been published yet (by Zadie Smith), a few entries from previous winners and this years token folk act: Marina Lewycka – A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian.
Marina must be pleased just for the nomination as her previous book A Carers Handbook: What To Do And Who To Turn To did not even bother the Orange Prize.
If you are a betting man, what to go for. McEwan will be a hot favourite but won too recently. Ishiguro’s is pretty rubbish (as I shall explain after I have seen the similarly themed Michael Bay film The Island). It has been a while since a woman has won, so maybe one of the Smith girls (though less likely to be Zadie). And even Lewycka has a good chance, its a good, funny book and the last time the Booker chose funny (Vernon God Little) they seemed to get a massive credibility shot in the arm.
I might even try and read a few of these. If anyone has, let us know with a review as we will clearly be pre-empting the Booker here. And possible having a Brown Wedge Prize for the best promotional literature of the year. From Book Blurbs to Backs Of Jam Jars, we want your nominations.