2007 Booker shortlist? Chesil Beach

[pigletmaker]

Anyone else working their way through this?

I started with Anne Enright's THE GATHERING and was put off by the repetition in the first paragraph (what are Editors for these days???) and ground to a complete halt at page 10. Bored, artless writing.

Started McEwan's CHESIL BEACH and have whizzed through the first 50,-60 pages. Its funny and compelling and I don't normally get on with him at all.

Anyone else?

I've read on chesil beach so far, and found it very readable.

The book people have the whole short list going cheap at the moment.

Loved Chesil Beach. Love Ian McEwan. I swear, I could read that man's shopping lists.

i despise ian mcewans writing, long turgid descriptions about people/events, poor story/narrative development. i find him rambling and dull.attempted to read "atonement" as HB when it came out hated it, also was given "saturday* no more McEwan for me

Yes, I hated Saturday, and Amsterdam. But OCB has proven itself readable. I don't know if this is because I'm nearly 8 months pregnant and my brain has deteriorated totally, but I'm definitely enjoying it!

Loved it

I am like speccieseccie

I'm the same way about Dave Grohl, he could fart in a paper bag and I'd be in heaven

Yes pigletmaker, I've just ordered the shortlist from the Book People and plan to read my way through it.

Sounds like On Chesil Beach is a good place to start. I didn't like the sound of the Gathering from the reviews, so will steer clear of that one.

Will you let me know if you read the Reluctant Fundamentalist one and if you think its any good?

I saw on the Culture Show last night it was considered by the public to be the best of the 6 (though apparently the bookies have it down as 4th)