The Man Booker and why there's a hope for us all

shaldna · Sep 7, 2011

Lovely story in the DM today about the shortlist for the Man Booker, which focused on factory worker Stephen Kelman and his debut novel 'Pigeon English' which was shortlisted.

There was a quote that I really liked which addressed the often raised complaint that it's all about who you are and not what you write:

Dame Stella Rimington, former MI5 director and chairman of the judging panel, said: ‘We were not looking at people’s reputations, we were looking at the books. [/quote]

It made me feel really good today to think that maybe in a year, or five years, or ten, that it could be me on that list.

The whole article is here

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...s-winner-Alan-Hollinghurst.html#ixzz1XGYSckdY

scarletpeaches · Sep 7, 2011

It's always been my ultimate writing dream to win the Booker.

There. I said it.

And why shouldn't it happen?

crunchyblanket · Sep 7, 2011

It's my dream to win the Booker with a sweary cyberpunk novel.

scarletpeaches · Sep 7, 2011

I want to win it for an erotic suspense novel, after being on the same shortlist as Ishiguro and McEwan.

Wayne K · Sep 7, 2011

I'm going to win it.

There, I said it

Phaeal · Sep 7, 2011

It's my dream to win despite being from Amurica.

This is a good rags-to-maybe-riches story except for this line in the article, which left me ROFLing:

The work was rejected by several literary agents before being picked up and championed by publisher Bloomsbury.

Rejected by SEVERAL agents? Really? Oh the humanity.

Wayne K · Sep 7, 2011

My dream is to one day be referred to as "That Pulitzer prize winning pain in the ass"

scarletpeaches · Sep 7, 2011

You're halfway there already, Wayne.

Wayne K · Sep 7, 2011

I'm more than that

Filigree · Sep 7, 2011

Okay, I'll say it: has anyone here ever read a Booker Prize novel they liked?

scarletpeaches · Sep 7, 2011

Filigree said:
Okay, I'll say it: has anyone here ever read a Booker Prize novel they liked?

Yes.

dolores haze · Sep 7, 2011

Filigree said:
Okay, I'll say it: has anyone here ever read a Booker Prize novel they liked?

Yep. Most recent Booker winner I read was McEwan's 'Amsterdam.' Deliciously mean-spirited.

fiendish · Sep 7, 2011

Filigree said:
Okay, I'll say it: has anyone here ever read a Booker Prize novel they liked?

Yes. Several.

scarletpeaches · Sep 7, 2011

I think that was a sly hint that Booker winners are worthy but unreadable.

gothicangel · Sep 7, 2011

Filigree said:
Okay, I'll say it: has anyone here ever read a Booker Prize novel they liked?

Nominee or winner?

I enjoyed Sarah Water's Little Stranger. Has Ishiguro won or been nominated? I love him too. I tried Wolf Hall, but I may try again.

A year ago, I would have said winning the Booker was my career goal. Now, I'm not so sure. The WIP's I'm working on won't be nominated, but who knows what I will create? I would love to write about the Picts, I'm just waiting to find a story.

After all, Hiliary Mantel won with a historical novel.

scarletpeaches · Sep 7, 2011

gothicangel said:
Nominee or winner?

I enjoyed Sarah Water's Little Stranger. Has Ishiguro won or been nominated? I love him too. I tried Wolf Hall, but I may try again.

A year ago, I would have said winning the Booker was my career goal. Now, I'm not so sure. The WIP's I'm working on won't be nominated, but who knows what I will create? I would love to write about the Picts, I'm just waiting to find a story.

After all, Hiliary Mantel won with a historical novel.

*spluttersplutter*

WHAT???

willietheshakes · Sep 7, 2011

Filigree said:
Okay, I'll say it: has anyone here ever read a Booker Prize novel they liked?

Yes, quite a few.

What's your point?

Wayne K · Sep 7, 2011

scarletpeaches said:
I think that was a sly hint that Booker winners are worthy but unreadable.

Which is a sly hint that you and me will someday be worthy and unreadable

scarletpeaches · Sep 7, 2011

Wayne K said:
Which is a sly hint that you and me will someday be worthy and unreadable

Which is a sly hint that someday I'll buy you a crate of beer to celebrate and we'll get absolutely wasted together.

gothicangel · Sep 7, 2011

scarletpeaches said:
*spluttersplutter*

WHAT???

I'm being dense this afternoon. :e2hammer:

Jamesaritchie · Sep 7, 2011

Filigree said:
Okay, I'll say it: has anyone here ever read a Booker Prize novel they liked?

Two or three, and one of my favorite novels is a Booker winner. But like Nobel winners, I find about four out of five Booker winners to be about as exciting as watching an old car rust, and about as applicable to anything I care about, believe, or think as a rainbow is to a blind man.

Given my druthers, I'd much rather win a Hugo, an Edgar, or a Silver Spur.

Phaeal · Sep 7, 2011

Filigree said:
Okay, I'll say it: has anyone here ever read a Booker Prize novel they liked?

Wolf Hall and The Finkler Question are the most recent I've liked.

scarletpeaches · Sep 7, 2011

Jamesaritchie said:
Two or three, and one of my favorite novels is a Booker winner. But like Nobel winners, I find about four out of five Booker winners to be about as exciting as watching an old car rust, and about as applicable to anything I care about, believe, or think as a rainbow is to a blind man.

Given my druthers, I'd much rather win a Hugo, an Edgar, or a Silver Spur.

Well, JAR, you can write a book as exciting as watching an old car rust if you like, but as you're American, being long- or short-listed for a Booker isn't something you'll ever have to worry about.

So you can wait for those Hugos, Edgars or Silver Spurs (whatever they are) to roll in. Not that they mean anything to me.

IceCreamEmpress · Sep 7, 2011

Filigree said:
Okay, I'll say it: has anyone here ever read a Booker Prize novel they liked?

Have you really not liked any of the Booker Prize winners? Some of my favorite books of the last fifty years are on there, from The English Patient to Schindler's Ark to The Ghost Road to The Remains of the Day to The God of Small Things.

I've read all but four of those books, and the only ones I didn't like were The Life of Pi and The Old Devils.

shaldna · Sep 8, 2011

IceCreamEmpress said:
I've read all but four of those books, and the only ones I didn't like were The Life of Pi and The Old Devils.

My brother - who is pretty much an illiterate thug, was reading in the back garden one afternoon - now, this is enough to raise suspicion to call the police, or maybe a doctor, so I asked him what he was reading and he held up a copy of 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' and said with a bit of a snarl, 'Those hooker robots freak me out less than that bloody Tiger from the Pie book I was reading yesterday.'

The Man Booker and why there's a hope for us all

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

scarletpeaches

crunchyblanket

the Juggernaut of Imperfection

scarletpeaches

Wayne K

Phaeal

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

Wayne K

scarletpeaches

Wayne K

Filigree

Mildly Disturbing

scarletpeaches

dolores haze

international guttersnipe

fiendish

nightwriter

scarletpeaches

gothicangel

Toughen up.

scarletpeaches

willietheshakes

Gentleman. Scholar. Bastard.

Wayne K

scarletpeaches

gothicangel

Toughen up.

Jamesaritchie

Phaeal

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

scarletpeaches

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.