Back in July, the Man Booker Longlist was revealed, and instantly criticised for lacking diversity amongst its authors, yet again. However, if you are keen to find out who the final winners is, then the list has now been reduced again as six final books are revealed for the Man Booker Prize Shortlist 2016.
The list started with 155 novels, so to be in the final six is quite the accolade for authors, and while the original list and therefore this one does lack some diversity, it’s still a pretty mixed bunch.
We have three men and three women, and authors from around the world, and when it comes to subject matter, three of the books are historical, while three are written in a contemporary setting. Two of the six books have female protagonists, and we certainly need more strong women in literature, and the settings too take in a broad range of vistas from around the world.
So with our thoughts about the books, here’s the actual list. Do you think you can pick a winner?
Paul Beatty – The Sellout
The Sellout has been nominated for several awards this year and is described as comic genius, a biting satire about urban life, the civil rights movement and the holy grail of racial equality.
Graeme MacRae Burnet – His Bloody Project
His Bloody Project looks at the case of Roderick McRae, a murder that gripped the British public, using court manuscripts, Roderick’s memoir, police statements and newspaper articles to reimagine the gruesome tale.
Ottessa Moshfegh – Eileen
Recommended for fans of Sylvia Plath, Eileen is steeped in misery, looking back on the unhappy mind of a New Englander in the 1960s.
Deborah Levy – Hot Milk
Sofia is a young anthropologist seeking treatment for her mother’s unexplained illness, a journey that takes her to Spain, and on a voyage of sexuality, unspoken female rage and the value of experimenting with life.
David Szalay – All That Man Is
A little different to the other shortlisted entries, All That Man Is is a collection of nine intertwined short stories, as nine men try to understand what it means to be alive.
Madeleine Thien – Do Not Say We Have Nothing
A turn of events in Canada in 1991, leads us right back to the Tiananmen Square protests, and the story of a revolutionary China.
So there are the shortlisted entries, and the winner of the £50,000 literary prize will be announced on 25th October.
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