Booker 2024: got to read ‘em all!

[Trojanbores]

Does anybody else set themselves the absurd target of reading the Booker longlist each year?

Would you like to join me? It announces on Tuesday.

Any ideas about what will be on it?

@Decklededge that's what I've done, I've manged to reserve most of them and orbital and wild houses are in transit. I normally only have to end up buying one

I tend to read the books that appeal to me/take advantage of what comes up on Kindle Daily Deals. (Most do at some point but there's always one or two that never seem to!).

So I've read The Friends and Stone Yard Devotional (library copies) before the longlist came out, and had just started Enlightenment, which I originally borrowed but then it came up as a Kindle Daily Deal in July, so I was able to return the library copy and read it without worrying about running up fines! I liked all of them and would like to see Hisham Matar and Charlotte Wood make the shortlist.

I've also bought Wild Houses (another Kindle bargain) a few weeks ago. I'll probably try to read a few more from the library at some point but it could be this year or in 3 years time - I really liked Rachel Kushner's last novel The Mars Room so will be looking out for Creation Lake (to be published in September).

I have just finished ‘James’. I thought that it was superb. Witty, touching, clever - a great story, right to the end.

Orbital has just arrived in the library for me. Going to pick it up later.
Why am I so excited?😆

My copy of James is ‘in transit’. I really want to read it - can’t wait.
I read ‘The Trees’ which was on the longlist (last year or the year before?) and I enjoyed it. Usually I struggle with satire. I want to read ‘Erasure’ too.
@elkiedee I also read ‘The Mars Room’ and enjoyed it. I think that was the first year I managed to read the whole longlist. I’m looking forward to reading this new one

Watching with interest. This years list looks good.
The only time I have read them all was the year Lincoln in the Bardo won and I was so in love with it I had to read all the others to see if any could possibly be as good.
So far I have read Enlightenment and Wild Houses - enjoyed both . Now halfway through The Safekeep

Just finished Stone Yard Devotional which I thought was an extraordinary piece of writing. The mice!

Just started orbital, it's fine so far but I feel I've read similar

I've discovered I also have a copy of Orbital - several people on another Mumsnet book discussion thread mentioned that they bought it and ooh it must have been a Kindle Daily Dealure enough I looked and I bought it in January.

I have enjoyed reading ‘My Friends’ by Hisham Matar. It is taking me a while to finish, though. I am wondering where to go next? The boxing or the nun?

I read The Safekeep and really enjoyed it. Might try some of the others in here.

I also read The Safekeep and gave up halfway through then tried again and finished it this week. Have mixed views about it tbh.

So far I've read Wild Houses, which I really liked and will remember, and the Safekeep.. which I did finish and held my interest but was quite intense and wasn't sure about the main storyline/twist. However it's a theme I haven't read about before & found it interesting.

I'm about a third of the way through Wandering Stars and finding it really interesting so far. Also got My Friends to read, plus have The Safekeep and James on reserve from the library.

I usually see how much of the long list I can get through and then try to finish the shortlist. I’m starting late this year though as I’m also trying to work my way through the backlist of all the Booker winners and got a bit stuck with Last Orders (although did enjoy it).
I’ve just finished James which I loved. I really like Percival Everett’s writing.
Now started Held.

The shortlist is out now …

James
Orbital
Creation Lake
Stoneyard Devotional
Held
The Safekeep

I have read James and Orbital. I will try for Held and Stoneyard Devotional before they announce the winner.

Can’t believe they didn’t shortlist My Friends! Really pleased to see Stone Yard Devotional, James and Orbital there. Haven’t read Safekeep or Creation Lake yet, but looking forward to both. Held doesn’t attract me at all and most of the reviews I’ve read haven’t been keen.

I agree. I thought My Friends was excellent.