Booker Prize shortlist announced

Bit late to this thread - just to say that Wolf Hall is an entirely different proposition to Beyond Black (the latter - I didn't manage to complete either)

I love Coetze, thought Disgrace was fantastic. Found Sarah Waters 'Affinity' a bit of slog but may try again with this one. Haven't read Hilary Mantel for years but Fludd sticks in my mind...must have read this about 20 years ago and thought it was fab!
No Indian authors or settings this year which disappoints me. Why on earth has Rohinton Mistry never won the Booker?? (Now someone will put me right and tell me he has!!) I must try to get through one of them before the winner is announced.

Jux - phew. I was beginning to think it was just me.

Oooh, THAT Hilary Mantell. Hated Beyond Black, thought it an utter waste of words and altogether a book without point, sorry. Won't be reading hers.

I really really really really want to read the Byatt - but not until it's out in paperback. Hardbacks are too heavy for me to hold.

Janeite, am sorry you had such a low opinion of Beyond Black, I thought it was brilliant, and have hugely enjoyed other fiction by H Mantel. Hoping to read Wolf Hall soon. I'm gunning for her or Sarah Waters for Booker.

We're doing the Booker shortlist for the next Mumsnet Bookclub - the page and poll will be up a week today, Monday 21 Sep. I'll post here again when its live.

The chat will be on Tuesday 20 Oct, 8-9.30pm. Hope you can join us...

Have just googled: it was called 'Beyond Black' - but I see that she comes from Derbyshire, so I will forgive her a little.

No idea. I've only read the french revolution one - A Place of Greater Safety, and an early novel about a convent, I think it was, or a convent school.

Pielight - I teach English so have read lots of talentless tripe - and lots of bloody good stuff too!

Couldn't get on with Hilary M at all - it was the one about the fat medium - forget what it was called.

I HAVE got the right person haven't I?

some work by truly talentless writers

too many writers, too much talentlessness, too much work - all in one sentence

Yes he is - but for a reason.

Thank you for the transcript Lady P.

Am a bit at talentless tripe. I don't think she's talentless, not by a long chalk. I think Janeite you need to read some work by truly talentless work to see just what talentless writing looks like! - though do see that you might not have liked the book.

Am going now to find out The Glass Room which is the only one I haven't heard of I think.

I didn't like the Children's Book too much

JM Coetzee is always nominated, isn't he?

I nearly bought The Quickening Maze, although dovegreyreader didn't rate it much

Hated Possession
Loved Disgrace

On previous form, I've enjoyed a couple of Hilary Mantel's novels and Byatt's "Possession" was OK.

Bloody love Hilary Mantel (but haven't read Wolf Hall yet). Hope she wins.

Of those I've read Wolf Hall, the Children's Book and the Little Stranger.

The Children's Book has tons of information, some very good setpieces (like the international exhibition) but ultimately felt too dry, as if you were listening to a historian describe the period. Characters were introduced and then just wrapped up suddenly in the end, probably because if the book went on for any longer it would have needed two volumes! I usually read fast but I found it a struggle to get to the end of this.

The Little Stranger is a book I would like to read again and also discuss in a book group, it raises some questions which I'd like to talk more about! It's a good depiction of the post-war period and also has the beginnings of the NHS in it which is interesting from the medical point of view. There are some scary bits in it, still not as scary as Stephen King at his best, but quite good!

I loved Wolf Hall. The only drawback to it is that, knowing what happens after the events of the book, I want more of the story. This is a novel which, unlike The Children's Book, made the characters seem real and alive, and with them being a part of history it gives an insight as to how things could have turned out the way they did. A vivid, vibrant book.

I haven't read the others yet!

I enjoyed 'Disgrace' by J M Coetzee
(I also like William Trevor - I didn't know he had a new book)

i have wolf hall and childrens book in a gigantic pile of unread library books and i bet you have all ordered them so better get on.

haven't read as byatt since that last prizewinner and fludd by h mantel which was a slog. i like sarah w usually apart from gimmickery.

I haven't read any of them but I read another one by Hilary Mantel and thought it was talentless tripe.

I've got the A S Byatt. It's sitting on my shelf glaring at me. I want to start it but have been told there's a large cast of characters which makes it hard going at first.

Arggh, tryagain.

I don't know if you heard John Tusa interview him on Radio 3, but there's a transcript [[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/johntusainterview/trevor_transcript.shtml here]. It's great stuff.

Both. He's one of those writers that I feel like I've been reading for years. Fairly constantly - though obviously surrounded by thousands of others. I remember reading The Boarding House when I was about 18 or something! I like Reading Tugenev v. v. much, it might well be one of my favourite ever books actually.