Man Booker Prize 2012 winner announced tonight - what's your bet?

[TillyBookClub]

It's the biggie. The prize that sends a literary novel straight into the bestseller list and the author on a global publicity tour and to a guaranteed seat in literature's Hall of Fame.

Just to remind you, the shortlist is:

The Lighthouse - Alison Moore
Swimming Home - Deborah Levy
Bring Up the Bodies - Hilary Mantel
Umbrella - Will Self
The Garden of Evening Mists - Tan Twan Eng
Narcopolis - Jeet Thayil

This year's six includes two debut novels, two authors who've been shortlisted before, one previous winner, three novels published by small indie publishers. Three women, three men.

(Ladbrokes current odds-on winner: Will Self at 2/1)

Which ones have you read and who will you be rooting for?

Think it'll be Will Self - but i'm rooting for Deborah Levy ... Would love Mantel to get it again, but Bring Up the Bodies is really just a continuation of Wolf Hall, and I can't imagine them giving it to her again!

My reading group are shadowing the Man Booker Prize so I've read almost the entire shortlist.

I would love Bring Up the Bodies to win as it is beautifully written - Mantel is an incredible storyteller and brings this fascinating man to life for us, however I think it is unlikely for a sequel to win (despite Bodies standing on its own as a novel entirely)

So, I think Garden of Evening Mists will win - it is lovely, poignant and thoughtful and very carefully paced, the language is precise, almost spare and the sense of place is very powerful... what happens after war

I also thoroughly enjoyed 'The Lighthouse' and would be very happy if that won.

I don't think Swimming Home stands up to much, but my DH loved it and thought it was immersive and mesmerising (one man's immersive is this woman's claustrophobic!)

I didn't enjoy reading Umbrella or Narcopolis at all. I found them turgid and sordid equally.

My money's on The Lighthouse, by Alison Moore.

It's almost unprecedented that a debut novel from a minute independent publishing house run from a Norfolk seaside town could have got this far. The buzz around this book is VERY loud!

I secretly love Mantel though also she is practically my friend so I wouldn't be disappointed if Bodies took the prize.

Umbrella has little punctuation or paragraphs.
I think someone should C&P a chunk and post it pedants' corner.

I'd love Garden Of Evening Mists to win, because although I've not read it yet, I thought his previous book was stunning, and didn't deserve not to make the shortlist. I think Umbrella wI'll win.

I don't know

but please not Will Self

If Hilary wins she will be first British writer ever to win twice.

Go Hilary, go Hilary...

The only one I've read is the Hilary Mantel, but I don't think it will be her, as it's too soon since the last one.

So, speaking from a position of complete ignorance (what's new), my money is on Will Self, with Deborah Levy as second choice. I think the Booker Judges want to make a statement about how stuff can be difficult and good (as a reaction against last year when they were all about readability and accessibility, yawn.)

Will the results be televised?

I am definately rooting for "Swimming Home", which i feel like i have a small personal stake in, having purchased one of the first few copies that was published I like the whole idea of it.

Is the prize ceremony normally hidden away on the BBC 24-hour news channel?

I've hunted high and low for the television coverage and there doesn't seem to be any..last year I definitely watched it on a BBC channel but no sign in any of the schedules at all.

If anyone finds it, can they post up here? Meanwhile, I'll be searching Twitter for clues...

Telly coverage is: BBC news and BBC World from 9.30pm

Getting very excited. We'll be tweeting from @MumsnetBookclub if you're on Twitter.

Good luck to all of them. (Though Hilary still gets my vote.)

Please please please don't let it be Will!

I've read the longlist, and I'm really hoping it will go to Tan Twan Eng. The Garden of Evening Mists is a truly beautiful book. Masterfully crafted. If not, my other favourite was Swimming Home.

I can't believe the decision hasn't been leaked this year - usually somebody manages to find out by about 10am. Will be glued to the BBC news channel preparing to scream if they give it to Umbrella. Bet they will.

And yes, I don't think it should go to Mantel either. Wolf Hall was ground breaking, whereas I felt that Bringing Up the Bodies was a fairly standard historical novel - albeit a very good one!

watching it now....

I really hope it will be Will. I have reread the first 70 pages and now can't put it down - worth persevering with and is a welcome chaqnge frfom so many books.

We're off! BBc coverage on now..

Bring Up The Bodies!

Oooooh!

YAY! Go Hilary!!

YAY! Hilary is a wonderful storyteller; hearing her read aloud last night brought the book even more to life. I'm so very pleased for her.

Hallelujah!

Not only for Hilary winning, but that I've actually read a Booker winner before it won the Booker.

Here's the link to Hilary's completely brilliant webchat on BRING UP THE BODIES last month

Fantastic! I'm so pleased (it is the only one on the short list I have read although I've bought 2 others) but I am seriously in love with her Cromwell and so pleased that such a good storyteller has been recognised again.

Fabulous! Well done, well deserved, Ms M

Well done Hilary :) I'm half-way through Bring Up The Bodies, and love it. Wolf Hall is probably one of my most favourite books ever. Very well deserved!