Have read Great Circle, The Promise and A Passage North. I loved the idea of Krishan sitting on a train and having all those wonderful thoughts (I actually started the book on a 4-hour train journey) and couldn't get enough of them. The funeral scene was incredible as were many other scenes in the book, like watching films with no sound etc... This and The Great Circle are my favourites so far. Still to read the other three but I must say I was very pleased with the list.
I am waiting on 5 of the 6 from my local library but have read The Promise and can’t imagine a more worthy book. Of course, I would be delighted to be proven wrong.
I was super happy with this shortlist. I got 4 right. I didn't expect Lockwood to be on the list but it really surprised me so pleased it is. So pleased Fortune Men made it, I was rooting for it !!
Really happy to see The Promise and Great Circle on the list as I loved both of them. Disappointed that China Room didn't make it as that was one of my favourites. Reading Light Perpetual currently and I'm enjoying it but can see why it didn't make the cut. I started both No One is Talking About This and A Passage North but didn't finish either, but I'll go back and try again. Looking forward to reading Bewilderment and The Fortune Men next!
im planning on reading all 6! 🥳 most excited for bewilderment and great circle for sure, also very intrigued for a passage north. it's been very divisive!
I'm pretty happy with the list, because most of my favorites made it! I would have swapped out A Passage North for Klara and the Sun though! I have really enjoyed reading the longlist this year. Thanks for such a great quick video!
You know how much I love Great Circle. I’m really glad to see it shortlisted with The Promise and Bewilderment ( I’ve pre ordered). I’m currently reading A Passage North & have The Fortune Men on my TBR. I didn’t read the Patricia Lockwood when it was short listed for the Women’s Prize so I won’t be reading it now. ☘️👋🍀📚🫖☕️📖🐝📕
So happy to hear all the love/praise for 'The Promise'. Galgut is a master; short-listed twice before for the Booker, I think. Really hope he wins it this time.
I had three out of the six on my list, perhaps if I had been able to read Bewilderment I would have four. Like you I had issues with No one is Talking About This, I have no desire to re-read it as I will not go back to A Passage North ( got really fed up hearing about his ex girlfriend !) I would be very happy with The Promise, The Fortune Men or Great Circle winning, when it comes out I will read Bewilderment. I bet the publishers are relieved Bewilderment made the short list, if it hadn’t their refusal to bring publication forward would have lost them thousands of sales. Thanks for the video!
Really like the videos…have been following a lot of the 2022 longlist and would request you if could you make a video on the list of booker prize winners over the years?
What a wonderful break down of all of these books. I have only read 2 1/4… I am reading Great Circle now, loved The Promise and also did not get along with Lockwood’s book. But I walked away thinking that her book may just have not been for me. Powers book I want to read soon - waiting for 9/21. The Fortune Men is not out over here until 2022. I have been on the fence about reading A Passage North.. I will continue to think about it. I am pulling for Galgut to finally win - I think. LOL
I’ll have to go back and see which books didn’t make it. I just sent the Lockwood book off to find a new home. I made a token effort but just wasn’t interested. I have The Fortune Men at home and the UK edition of Bewilderment on order. Not sure if I’ll read any of the others. The most exciting news of the day for me is that I just picked up my preorder of Harlem Shuffle! I’m so excited to dig into a new Colson Whitehead book!
I always enjoy your Booker coverage, this year especially so. I was pressing refresh on RUclips as soon as the shortlist was announced, impatient to see your reaction video, so thanks for putting it up so quickly!! I bought A Passage North following your review and the others all sounds intriguing too, so it will be good to try to read the whole shortlist if possible (and in between #Victober reading!!). With the Lockwood, I wonder if the exclusion of people from all the references is deliberate, on the basis that no-one is ever likely to be in on all the online conversations all the time? Or perhaps that is just wishful thinking on my part, given that I am online quite a bit but definitely not up with all the gossip. Thanks again for a great video Eric! 😀
I've only read No One Is Talking About This so far - I felt middling about it, 3/5 from me in the end. I think the only other one on the shortlist I'm really keen on is Bewilderment, but you're making me curious about The Promise now for sure!
I want to read the fortune men... Have already read the promise and liked it very much... Even though china room didn't make it to the shortlist, I would like to read that one too....
Ooh, loved your thoughts on this, and really good observation about the shadow of Trump in Bewilderment and No One! I really like how you speak about The Fortune Men! Such an interesting book, and I’m delighted for the boost this must be for her career! Super interesting thoughts on Lockwood’s novel- I wonder what we will think about it in future. I also wonder if part of my enjoyment was getting a lot of (but definitely not all) the references. It spoke to my love of (and fascination with) meme culture. I’m so happy about this shortlist- some absolute gems, and some books that will stay with me for a long time!
Thank you! I’m now wondering if there was any reference to a president or politics in the modern day sections of Great Circle but can’t recall any. I’m so excited for the shortlist readings! I’m sure it’ll be a fun and fascinating discussion.
Wish I could hold a pile of books in one hand for that length of time. Not with my arthritic thumbs though! @ 5:40 'she appears to disappear'. Interesting choice of words.
I’ve read 5 of the 6 and guessed 4 correctly. I have to say that I loved the Lockwood. Even though I can’t say that I understood the first half (Twitter is not for me), I thought the writing was brilliant, and I was stunned by the second half. I think it’s telling that this is the only book to make the shortlists of both the Booker and the Women’s Prize. I loved it and the Powers. I’d put The Promise right behind those. I am with you on A Passage North. It was a bit too much philosophy and not quite enough action.
So pleased that Great Circle made it, a wonderful book. The Fortune Men is also well worth the read. Currently reading The Promise and really enjoying it, and Bewilderment is on order. The other two I put off reading as neither appealed to me, but maybe I should give them a go. After all there is plenty of time before the winner is announced. Sad that Light Perpetual,didn`t get to the shortlist. I couldn`t put that down!
I went to the bookstore and they didn't have any of these books. When I asked, they looked at me as if I was crazy and told me they couldn't even order the books to the store. So unfortunately, I have to go to Amazon or the Book Depository.
I was happy to get four out of six correct. I am rooting for The Promise to win. There were some excellent books on the longlist that I enjoyed reading. Lockwood’s book wasn’t one of them (it was the only one I gave one star). China Room should have been selected instead, IMO. Great Circle leans toward commercial fiction, especially in the Hadley sections-wait, who wrote this? Taylor Jenkins Reid?-so I was surprised, although I liked the book okay. I am reading Harlem Shuffle which released today-very atmospheric and enjoyable.
I read Klara and the Sun, A town Called Solace, Second Place, started No One Is Talking about This but couldn't finish it and the Bewilderment is on its way to arrive. I am very sad Klara and the Sun didn't make the shortlist.
An interesting shortlist featuring some great sounding books. My copy of Bewilderment was shipped yesterday from the UK. Hopefully I will have it by the end of next week.
Read the first 20 pages of Lockwood and i promptly threw the book away. Seems like experimental fiction but i ain't got the time to figure out what she is saying. Maybe it does get better in the second half.
I picked 4 out of the 6, I'm keen to get hold of Bewilderment when it is released here. It is a diverse list, I can't imagine how the judges can compare them when they are each so different.
I’ve always taken it that No One Is Talking About This’s references were entirely fictional, thus making them less time-specific. It more captures the vibe of the current internet era rather than any specifics.
I'm very happy with this shortlist, I got 5/6, so I should be. I think each novel in the shortlist is different and each has a case for winning, and I think that means there's something for most readers on the shortlist, which is really important. I don't think you need to understand everything in No One Is Talking About It, I didn't understand everything in Great Circle and I still enjoyed that book (that true for any book I read). It took a reread for me to love this novel, I think maybe I read it too quick too appreciate all the humour the first time through.
Very well predicted and I loved your take! It was canny of you to figure that Ishiguro wouldn’t make the shortlist. I guess my objection to not understanding everything about Lockwood’s book over Shipstead’s is that it felt like listening to a joke I wasn’t being let in on and that felt more alienating or, at least, made me feel uncool and out of touch. 😂
I would love to read Bewilderment! All of them sounds fascinating but there has never been a book that sounds more “me” than how Bewilderment seems. I can’t wait for it to come out
My heart missed a beat when I saw that Anuk Arudprakasam’s A Passage North is a finalist. I see that he is an excellent writer with good command over the English language, but I felt that he is enamored of very long sentences that seem to flow like an unstoppable river. But I am happy for him, nevertheless. I intend to re-read it again. I have downloaded it onto my laptop, and so I can try to figure out what it is that the judges saw, but which I missed. I was astonished beyond words to see Great Circle in the list. I was so bored reading a few pages of it. I admit that it would make an excellent doorstop, however, but I very much doubt that I will find it entertaining or that it will light up my imagination if I re-read it. Sunjeev Sahota’s extraordinary novel China Room should have taken its place in this list, instead. But, as they say, to each his own. I did not think that Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel will be a finalist, however. I am going to pay more attention to Nadifa Mohamad. Her novel Fortune Men has garnered rave reviews. Yesh Prabhu, Bushkill, Pennsylvania
4 out of 6 seems to be a theme for the predictions! 😍 the great circle is the one that I am very interested to read… I requested it from the library. Am currently #417. 😳
Great overview as always. I really want to read noone is talking about this. The Promise I was super excited for loved the premise, but didnt enjoy the execution that much. A south african novel I LOVE is the Women Next Door by Yewanda Omotoso
I feel like there being 3 American books in this list is a lot so I understand yours and others mixed feelings about this. It kind of makes me wonder if the reason there are three is not because Americans are such great writers or whatever but because there’s just so many of us.
Read four out of six! Cannot comprehend Lockwood’s novel made it! Sahota and Jennings novel were way better IMHO… nice to see “A Passage North” in the short list, a bit demanding but in the end such a rewarding read.
Hi, I am intrigued by The Fortune Men and wonder whether this miscarriage of justice was ever investigated more recently and whether the real culprit could ever be brought to light? Was the author ever able to explore this further, Perhaps that's her next novel?
She covers this in the acknowledgements. In 1998, his conviction was deemed unsafe and was quashed, and evidence was uncovered about the real murderer. It was the first case of historic injustice to be overturned in the UK.
@@carolinehaythornthwaite2965 it doesn't actually say in the acknowledgements, but I guess if his conviction was quashed it has the same effect? One good thing is that they were also allowed to move his body to a Muslim graveyard in the 90s. Sadly it sounds like his sons really suffered as a result of everything though, and Laura never remarried.
On my TBR. Are The Fortune Men, The China Room, A Town called Solace , Klara andTheSun and An Island. I Don’t plan on reading No One is Talking About This Doesn’t seem my cup of tea
Interesting to read in the comments below that many people didn't enjoy the Lockwood, including me. Should have been Ishiguro. Enjoyed The Promise a lot
There are two: The Booker Prize, which is any book published in UK or Ireland and then there’s the International Booker Prize which are books that can be published anywhere. I believe the time frame this past year was altered because of Covid, so the awards did seem almost back to back!
i'm quite happy that the two other books i had planned to read from the longlist both got shortlisted so i have time before the winner is announced, im increasingly getting curious about bewilderment because of all the rave reviews :-)
I haven't read most of the shortlist (or the longlist for that matter), but I'm not surprised by most of the choices from what I know of the books. I notice that we have different opinions on the books that are more meditative and "self-centered," like Cusk's, but I love hearing your thoughts. We do agree on Patricia Lockwood's book though. I can see the merit and I can see why so many people think it's a great book, but the style just did not work with me. As someone who is not on Twitter at all, the first half of the book was a chore to read. I didn't get most of the references and even trying to understand the language was rough...It was too big of a disconnect for me. I'm currently reading A Passage North (which I am loving so far - this is exactly my kind of book). And am excited to read Bewilderment! And previously, I had no intention of reading The Promise, but after hearing your review of the book, I'm actually really intrigued now...The only thing that is putting me off from being enthusiastic to read this one is do I really care, at this point and time, to read about apartheid South Africa from the perspective of a white family even if it brings up important discussions on race....
I am pulling for The Promise. I didn't enjoy the Patricia Lockwood novel. I just picked up her novel Priestdaddy. I will give her another chance. I have read 12 of the 13. Eagerly waiting for Bewilderment. I have mixed feelings about it being on the shortlist before the general public can get. Any book but Nobody is Talking About This winning will make me happy.
Read No one is Talking about This. Didn't like it really. Currently reading A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson and waiting for The Promise and Bewilderment from the library.
Gah, I really hate when disabled or ill people are used as a narrative device, narrative prosthesis.To drive the plot or serve the needs of the able bodied characters to have epiphanies.Patricia Lockwood clearly isn’t following disabled writers and activists on social media or she would have educated herself about this.
To bad your profile didn't have a T. That way the first three comments of people on this video in which their RUclips channels have zero videos and a few subscribers would be K A T.
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
Have read Great Circle, The Promise and A Passage North. I loved the idea of Krishan sitting on a train and having all those wonderful thoughts (I actually started the book on a 4-hour train journey) and couldn't get enough of them. The funeral scene was incredible as were many other scenes in the book, like watching films with no sound etc... This and The Great Circle are my favourites so far. Still to read the other three but I must say I was very pleased with the list.
I am waiting on 5 of the 6 from my local library but have read The Promise and can’t imagine a more worthy book. Of course, I would be delighted to be proven wrong.
I was super happy with this shortlist. I got 4 right. I didn't expect Lockwood to be on the list but it really surprised me so pleased it is. So pleased Fortune Men made it, I was rooting for it !!
Yay Nadifa Mohamed!
Really happy to see The Promise and Great Circle on the list as I loved both of them. Disappointed that China Room didn't make it as that was one of my favourites. Reading Light Perpetual currently and I'm enjoying it but can see why it didn't make the cut. I started both No One is Talking About This and A Passage North but didn't finish either, but I'll go back and try again. Looking forward to reading Bewilderment and The Fortune Men next!
im planning on reading all 6! 🥳
most excited for bewilderment and great circle for sure, also very intrigued for a passage north. it's been very divisive!
Fab! Hope you enjoy them 📚
I got 5/6 so naturally I am pleased with this shortlist. 🤣 ... the one I got wrong was choosing 'China Room' and not 'No-one is Talking about This'.
I loved the promise too but was not able to articulate my reasons why nearly as well as that! Great job!
I'm pretty happy with the list, because most of my favorites made it! I would have swapped out A Passage North for Klara and the Sun though! I have really enjoyed reading the longlist this year. Thanks for such a great quick video!
A passage north..is great one
You know how much I love Great Circle. I’m really glad to see it shortlisted with The Promise and Bewilderment ( I’ve pre ordered). I’m currently reading A Passage North & have The Fortune Men on my TBR. I didn’t read the Patricia Lockwood when it was short listed for the Women’s Prize so I won’t be reading it now.
☘️👋🍀📚🫖☕️📖🐝📕
Loved hearing your thoughts on these books! Can't wait to see the final pick!
Thanks! 📚
I'm in a state of bewilderment that No One is Talking About This was one of the finalists.
Like the pun you did there.
👍😄
So happy to hear all the love/praise for 'The Promise'. Galgut is a master; short-listed twice before for the Booker, I think. Really hope he wins it this time.
It’ll be exciting to see.
I had three out of the six on my list, perhaps if I had been able to read Bewilderment I would have four. Like you I had issues with No one is Talking About This, I have no desire to re-read it as I will not go back to A Passage North ( got really fed up hearing about his ex girlfriend !) I would be very happy with The Promise, The Fortune Men or Great Circle winning, when it comes out I will read Bewilderment. I bet the publishers are relieved Bewilderment made the short list, if it hadn’t their refusal to bring publication forward would have lost them thousands of sales. Thanks for the video!
Really like the videos…have been following a lot of the 2022 longlist and would request you if could you make a video on the list of booker prize winners over the years?
After your sparkling review of Bewilderment, I requested it from my library, but may be a while before it is my turn. Can’t wait!😀
Hope it gets to you soon!
@@EricKarlAnderson me too!
What a wonderful break down of all of these books. I have only read 2 1/4… I am reading Great Circle now, loved The Promise and also did not get along with Lockwood’s book. But I walked away thinking that her book may just have not been for me. Powers book I want to read soon - waiting for 9/21. The Fortune Men is not out over here until 2022. I have been on the fence about reading A Passage North.. I will continue to think about it. I am pulling for Galgut to finally win - I think. LOL
Thanks so much Russell! I hope you enjoy Bewilderment. For the competition I think it will really come down between that and The Promise.
@@EricKarlAnderson I am rooting for The Promise, but I would not count out Lockwood. I think that it is the dark horse.
I’ll have to go back and see which books didn’t make it. I just sent the Lockwood book off to find a new home. I made a token effort but just wasn’t interested. I have The Fortune Men at home and the UK edition of Bewilderment on order. Not sure if I’ll read any of the others.
The most exciting news of the day for me is that I just picked up my preorder of Harlem Shuffle! I’m so excited to dig into a new Colson Whitehead book!
I highly recommend Damon Galgut novel “The Promise” interesting way to tell a story.
I always enjoy your Booker coverage, this year especially so. I was pressing refresh on RUclips as soon as the shortlist was announced, impatient to see your reaction video, so thanks for putting it up so quickly!! I bought A Passage North following your review and the others all sounds intriguing too, so it will be good to try to read the whole shortlist if possible (and in between #Victober reading!!). With the Lockwood, I wonder if the exclusion of people from all the references is deliberate, on the basis that no-one is ever likely to be in on all the online conversations all the time? Or perhaps that is just wishful thinking on my part, given that I am online quite a bit but definitely not up with all the gossip. Thanks again for a great video Eric! 😀
That's so kind! Thank you! Hope you enjoy them and your Victober reading. 📚
Good point about the Lockwood novel - you could be right.
I'm gonna wait and see who wins and then read that one.
wow bewilderment sounds really good. I have overstory, I want to read that before I buy another book by Powers.
I've only read No One Is Talking About This so far - I felt middling about it, 3/5 from me in the end. I think the only other one on the shortlist I'm really keen on is Bewilderment, but you're making me curious about The Promise now for sure!
Definitely give The Promise a try.
I want to read the fortune men... Have already read the promise and liked it very much... Even though china room didn't make it to the shortlist, I would like to read that one too....
Please do read China Room as well. It’s excellent
Ooh, loved your thoughts on this, and really good observation about the shadow of Trump in Bewilderment and No One!
I really like how you speak about The Fortune Men! Such an interesting book, and I’m delighted for the boost this must be for her career!
Super interesting thoughts on Lockwood’s novel- I wonder what we will think about it in future. I also wonder if part of my enjoyment was getting a lot of (but definitely not all) the references. It spoke to my love of (and fascination with) meme culture.
I’m so happy about this shortlist- some absolute gems, and some books that will stay with me for a long time!
Thank you! I’m now wondering if there was any reference to a president or politics in the modern day sections of Great Circle but can’t recall any.
I’m so excited for the shortlist readings! I’m sure it’ll be a fun and fascinating discussion.
@@EricKarlAnderson I can’t think of any either, so I think you’re safe! :)
And yes! It’s going to be so much fun!
Wish I could hold a pile of books in one hand for that length of time. Not with my arthritic thumbs though! @ 5:40 'she appears to disappear'. Interesting choice of words.
No One is Talking About This is the only surprise for me. Looking forward to finally reading Bewilderment when my pre-order arrives.
The books on the Booker Shortlist sound wonderful.
I’ve read 5 of the 6 and guessed 4 correctly. I have to say that I loved the Lockwood. Even though I can’t say that I understood the first half (Twitter is not for me), I thought the writing was brilliant, and I was stunned by the second half. I think it’s telling that this is the only book to make the shortlists of both the Booker and the Women’s Prize. I loved it and the Powers. I’d put The Promise right behind those. I am with you on A Passage North. It was a bit too much philosophy and not quite enough action.
So pleased that Great Circle made it, a wonderful book. The Fortune Men is also well worth the read. Currently reading The Promise and really enjoying it, and Bewilderment is on order. The other two I put off reading as neither appealed to me, but maybe I should give them a go. After all there is plenty of time before the winner is announced. Sad that Light Perpetual,didn`t get to the shortlist. I couldn`t put that down!
I’m glad you’re enjoying so many of them too! 📚
I went to the bookstore and they didn't have any of these books. When I asked, they looked at me as if I was crazy and told me they couldn't even order the books to the store. So unfortunately, I have to go to Amazon or the Book Depository.
I was happy to get four out of six correct. I am rooting for The Promise to win. There were some excellent books on the longlist that I enjoyed reading. Lockwood’s book wasn’t one of them (it was the only one I gave one star). China Room should have been selected instead, IMO. Great Circle leans toward commercial fiction, especially in the Hadley sections-wait, who wrote this? Taylor Jenkins Reid?-so I was surprised, although I liked the book okay. I am reading Harlem Shuffle which released today-very atmospheric and enjoyable.
I read Klara and the Sun, A town Called Solace, Second Place, started No One Is Talking about This but couldn't finish it and the Bewilderment is on its way to arrive. I am very sad Klara and the Sun didn't make the shortlist.
Yes, I loved Ishiguro's book but I guess it's nice some other lesser-known authors are getting a boost in recognition as well.
Interesting selection, Bewilderment sounds really intriguing, I like the idea of astrobiology.
I've read 3 so far (loved The Promise & A Passage North, didn't love No One Is Talking About This). SO excited to read the other 3!!
Fab! 📚
An interesting shortlist featuring some great sounding books. My copy of Bewilderment was shipped yesterday from the UK. Hopefully I will have it by the end of next week.
Read the first 20 pages of Lockwood and i promptly threw the book away. Seems like experimental fiction but i ain't got the time to figure out what she is saying. Maybe it does get better in the second half.
Totally how I felt!
i've only read no one is talking about this-didn't love it. i'd like get to bewilderment, the promise, and a passage north before it's announced!
I hope you get to reading any or all of those three. Let me know what you think of them! 📚
I picked 4 out of the 6, I'm keen to get hold of Bewilderment when it is released here. It is a diverse list, I can't imagine how the judges can compare them when they are each so different.
Yes, it’ll be such a hard decision!
Great video. I've only read No One Is Talking About This. I'm currently reading Bewilderment. I hope to read the others at some point.
Thanks! Hope you’re enjoying Powers’ novel.
I'll stick with a passage north.
I’ve always taken it that No One Is Talking About This’s references were entirely fictional, thus making them less time-specific. It more captures the vibe of the current internet era rather than any specifics.
I'm very happy with this shortlist, I got 5/6, so I should be. I think each novel in the shortlist is different and each has a case for winning, and I think that means there's something for most readers on the shortlist, which is really important.
I don't think you need to understand everything in No One Is Talking About It, I didn't understand everything in Great Circle and I still enjoyed that book (that true for any book I read). It took a reread for me to love this novel, I think maybe I read it too quick too appreciate all the humour the first time through.
Very well predicted and I loved your take! It was canny of you to figure that Ishiguro wouldn’t make the shortlist. I guess my objection to not understanding everything about Lockwood’s book over Shipstead’s is that it felt like listening to a joke I wasn’t being let in on and that felt more alienating or, at least, made me feel uncool and out of touch. 😂
I would love to read Bewilderment! All of them sounds fascinating but there has never been a book that sounds more “me” than how Bewilderment seems. I can’t wait for it to come out
I’m sure you’ll really connect with it!
My heart missed a beat when I saw that Anuk Arudprakasam’s A Passage North is a finalist. I see that he is an excellent writer with good command over the English language, but I felt that he is enamored of very long sentences that seem to flow like an unstoppable river. But I am happy for him, nevertheless. I intend to re-read it again. I have downloaded it onto my laptop, and so I can try to figure out what it is that the judges saw, but which I missed. I was astonished beyond words to see Great Circle in the list. I was so bored reading a few pages of it. I admit that it would make an excellent doorstop, however, but I very much doubt that I will find it entertaining or that it will light up my imagination if I re-read it. Sunjeev Sahota’s extraordinary novel China Room should have taken its place in this list, instead. But, as they say, to each his own. I did not think that Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel will be a finalist, however. I am going to pay more attention to Nadifa Mohamad. Her novel Fortune Men has garnered rave reviews.
Yesh Prabhu, Bushkill, Pennsylvania
100% in agreement regarding ‘China Room’, and ‘No One Is Talking About This’… disappointed ☹️
I've read 4 of the 6. Hope I can get to the other two before the winner is announced.
Fab! 📚
I am interested to read these.
4 out of 6 seems to be a theme for the predictions! 😍 the great circle is the one that I am very interested to read… I requested it from the library. Am currently #417. 😳
Oh dear, hope that number goes down soon!
@@EricKarlAnderson 416 today! One place closer 🤣 I may have to just buy it
I'm really disappointed that Klara and the Sun didn't make it. I never cease to marvel at Ishiguro's talent!
He’s awesome. I keep thinking about the ending of that novel.
@@EricKarlAnderson me too! 😊
Such a shame 😓
I have two Mohammed and Lockwood and will get to them by the end of the year.
Fab! Hope you enjoy them.
It seems more people are interested in this years Booker Prize, than any year I can remember. maybe people are reading more Novels. I wonder why?
Great overview as always. I really want to read noone is talking about this. The Promise I was super excited for loved the premise, but didnt enjoy the execution that much. A south african novel I LOVE is the Women Next Door by Yewanda Omotoso
Oh yes! I really enjoyed that novel too. I mean, any story about older people behaving badly is really enticing. 😄
@@EricKarlAnderson YES! A fellow fan! 😊
I feel like there being 3 American books in this list is a lot so I understand yours and others mixed feelings about this. It kind of makes me wonder if the reason there are three is not because Americans are such great writers or whatever but because there’s just so many of us.
Could be!
You are the best 💫💫💫
Read four out of six! Cannot comprehend Lockwood’s novel made it! Sahota and Jennings novel were way better IMHO… nice to see “A Passage North” in the short list, a bit demanding but in the end such a rewarding read.
Yep, definitely would have preferred to see Sahota or Jennings on the list.
Hi, I am intrigued by The Fortune Men and wonder whether this miscarriage of justice was ever investigated more recently and whether the real culprit could ever be brought to light? Was the author ever able to explore this further, Perhaps that's her next novel?
She covers this in the acknowledgements. In 1998, his conviction was deemed unsafe and was quashed, and evidence was uncovered about the real murderer. It was the first case of historic injustice to be overturned in the UK.
@@olivianewman5442 Thank you. I hope that he was pardoned posthumously?
@@carolinehaythornthwaite2965 it doesn't actually say in the acknowledgements, but I guess if his conviction was quashed it has the same effect? One good thing is that they were also allowed to move his body to a Muslim graveyard in the 90s. Sadly it sounds like his sons really suffered as a result of everything though, and Laura never remarried.
@@olivianewman5442 Thank you. It sounds like a very good novel.
@@carolinehaythornthwaite2965 I'd recommend it! I found the first 30% a little confusing, but after that it is gripping, and just so sad.
On my TBR. Are The Fortune Men, The China Room, A Town called Solace , Klara andTheSun and An Island. I Don’t plan on reading No One is Talking About This Doesn’t seem my cup of tea
I’m shocked No One…is on the list.
Interesting to read in the comments below that many people didn't enjoy the Lockwood, including me. Should have been Ishiguro. Enjoyed The Promise a lot
Yep, I’d have definitely put Ishiguro over Lockwood. Maybe they wanted to seem more hip?
How many booker prizes are there in a given year. It seems there is one a month.
There are two: The Booker Prize, which is any book published in UK or Ireland and then there’s the International Booker Prize which are books that can be published anywhere. I believe the time frame this past year was altered because of Covid, so the awards did seem almost back to back!
@@FactoryOne Thanks for the very thoughtful answer. I appreciate it.
The best six books should be shortlisted. Insisting on six separate publishers means this can't happen.
In your opinion, Who Will win the booker prize on november 3rd?
I can't decide. I need to think about it some more.
i'm quite happy that the two other books i had planned to read from the longlist both got shortlisted so i have time before the winner is announced, im increasingly getting curious about bewilderment because of all the rave reviews :-)
It’s like they’ve planned the prize with your TBR in mind! 😄📚
Bewilderment sounds so fascinating but it'll probably be a while till it reaches my country :/
I haven't read most of the shortlist (or the longlist for that matter), but I'm not surprised by most of the choices from what I know of the books. I notice that we have different opinions on the books that are more meditative and "self-centered," like Cusk's, but I love hearing your thoughts. We do agree on Patricia Lockwood's book though. I can see the merit and I can see why so many people think it's a great book, but the style just did not work with me. As someone who is not on Twitter at all, the first half of the book was a chore to read. I didn't get most of the references and even trying to understand the language was rough...It was too big of a disconnect for me.
I'm currently reading A Passage North (which I am loving so far - this is exactly my kind of book). And am excited to read Bewilderment! And previously, I had no intention of reading The Promise, but after hearing your review of the book, I'm actually really intrigued now...The only thing that is putting me off from being enthusiastic to read this one is do I really care, at this point and time, to read about apartheid South Africa from the perspective of a white family even if it brings up important discussions on race....
I am pulling for The Promise. I didn't enjoy the Patricia Lockwood novel. I just picked up her novel Priestdaddy. I will give her another chance. I have read 12 of the 13. Eagerly waiting for Bewilderment. I have mixed feelings about it being on the shortlist before the general public can get. Any book but Nobody is Talking About This winning will make me happy.
Just wanted to share that Priestdaddy is actually a memoir, so nonfiction, not a novel.
@@cindyhaiken5644 Thank you. I just hope I like this one better.
Read No one is Talking about This. Didn't like it really. Currently reading A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson and waiting for The Promise and Bewilderment from the library.
Gah, I really hate when disabled or ill people are used as a narrative device, narrative prosthesis.To drive the plot or serve the needs of the able bodied characters to have epiphanies.Patricia Lockwood clearly isn’t following disabled writers and activists on social media or she would have educated herself about this.
Come on Eric: the Lockwood “novel” is crap!
No British writers, interesting...haha
To bad your profile didn't have a T.
That way the first three comments of people on this video in which their RUclips channels have zero videos and a few subscribers would be K A T.
Nadifa Mohamed is British.
@@Sanchordia She is Somali
@@iswhat1 She is both.
Great Circle seems so boring 🤭
😭
American' dominate in everything not just in winning novel awards.
Soccer?
@@Sanchordia okay. Well maybe not everything
What????