Reading through this year's Booker Longlist

[antimatter]

I wanted for many years to be able to read through the full longlist before they announce shortlist and later a winner.

I managed to start listening to Deborah Levy (UK) - Hot Milk (Hamish Hamilton) which I got on Audible night before it got announced on a recommendation from Guardian. So far so good!

I also found 2 more on Audible and bought them as well:
Elizabeth Strout (US) - My Name Is Lucy Barton (Viking)
Madeleine Thien (Canada) - Do Not Say We Have Nothing (Granta Books)

Graeme Macrae Burnet (UK) - His Bloody Project (Contraband) - I got for £1.99 today on Kindle!

The rest of them are pricier so will see if my library has any before spending any money:
Paul Beatty (US) - The Sellout (Oneworld)
J.M. Coetzee (South African-Australian) - The Schooldays of Jesus (Harvill Secker)
A.L. Kennedy (UK) - Serious Sweet (Jonathan Cape)
Ian McGuire (UK) - The North Water (Scribner UK)
David Means (US) - Hystopia (Faber & Faber)
Wyl Menmuir (UK) - The Many (Salt)
Ottessa Moshfegh (US) - Eileen (Jonathan Cape)
Virginia Reeves (US) - Work Like Any Other (Scribner UK)
David Szalay (Canada-UK) - All That Man Is (Jonathan Cape)

[Laska5772]

The North water is 99p on kindle today!

I also bought His Bloody Project

.. and also The Many - thought £3.99 a reasonable price to pay for a booker longlist

I really dont fancy Hot Milk...

[antimatter]

I finished listening to Hot Milk. Enjoyed it. I will be able to say if it was worst or better than the rest of them after, I think, I finush few more. I think it was more than decent book and would recommend Audible version as it was beautyfuly read.
What puts you off reading it?

I enjoyed even more My name is Lucy Barton. I love when writers can write well about seemingly common human emotions.
When I have time I will definitely look for other books by Stroud and Levy.

I am currently listening to The North Water.
Due to my long commute and dog walking I can listen to up to 4 hours a day

[fascicle]

No use to you, OP, but for info, towards Christmas the Book People sell the 6 Booker Prize shortlisted books for the year (all hardback) as a pack for £25.

[antimatter]

I hope to read all of them by then! Some are available on my local library.

[whippetwoman]

I read Swimming Home by Deborah Levy last summer and thought it was excellent but if you look at the reviews on Amazon I was one of the very few people to actually like it. I really did think it was good though...

[southeastdweller]

I read Eileen shortly after it was published earlier this year and really enjoyed it. The characterisation was excellent and the story very absorbing. It's out in paperback next week.

The only other ones I'm interested in are My Name is Lucy Barton and The Sellout.

[Just5minswithDacre]

I'm in. Hitting Amazon now

[AgentProvocateur]

I've bought His Bloody Project and The North Water, but I have two book group books to get through before I can start them.

[antimatter]

I loved The North Water. Such great writing! I will look out for his other book too.

[JoylessFucker]

Hi antimatter, would love to join you as that's been my task for the past few years and am determined to achieve it this year. Having said that, I've only read one so far: Hystopia by David Means. A clever and interesting idea but overall, rather disappointed.

Next up either His Bloody Project or The Many as bought them at reasonable kindle prices, although I have one book club read to fit in too. Gutted I missed the 99p deal on North Water though

antimatter, you're making cracking progress. How's everyone else doing?

[antimatter]

Welcome Joyless! I commute over 2 hours every day. It helps with reading

My greatest a hievement this year so far is finishing War and Peace! What an amazing book that is!

[antimatter]

I know 2 books from this list are quite shoty (novellas) -The Many and The schooldays.

[Just5minswithDacre]

Mine were delivered to the sorting office I'll have to wait until Monday.

[antimatter]

Which one's have you ordered Just?

[Just5minswithDacre]

His Bloody Project, Work Like Any Other & The North Water.

[antimatter]

I am going to order few from my local library tonight. Which one are you starting with?

[southeastdweller]

My Name is Lucy Barton is also short but I don't recommend it.

[whippetwoman]

I've just finished Hot Milk by Deborah Levy which I really enjoyed, but for want of a better phrase, I think it's a 'marmite' book and will divide people into really like or really loathe...

[Lutrine]

I'm trying to read them all before the shortlist is announced too; I have read His Bloody Project and am midway through The Many on my kindle after spotting them at the reduced prices. I've reserved the majority of the other books at my local library and have The North Water waiting for me to pick up which I am really looking forward to starting.
I'm using the kindle app on my phone during night feeds to read at the moment though, it won't be so easy with the proper books!

[antimatter]

Also books which arr on Not the Booker Prize from Guardian are fairly cheap on Kindle too.

[Just5minswithDacre]

The older DC 'borrowed' His Bloody Project & Work Like Any Other moments after I opened the box, so it looks like I'll be starting with The North Water. Just putting the kettle on and plumping cushions now

[JoylessFucker]

Just finished His Bloody Project and whilst it has some lovely writing and place setting, I don't think it knew what it was trying to be - a story of a murder or a bit of social science. A good enough read, but a disappointment as a Booker contender, for me, I'm afraid.

On to The Many next.

[JoylessFucker]

Just seen that Eileen is half price at £4.99 on Amazon in case anyone is interested.

[Just5minswithDacre]

Thanks Joy, I'll nab one.

[Lutrine]

Three of my reservations came at once at my local library! I finished My Name Is Lucy Barton last night, absolutely loved it. Onto Eileen now, I'm looking forward to starting it later this evening.