Booker 25 - a thread

[Trojanbores]

Hello. I always try to read the Booker longlist.

Can anyone guess what might be on there this year? Any dead certs?

Ooh I love this annual speculation. I have a feeling it’s going to be a very American and Irish-heavy list this year. Patricia Lockwood’s new book probably, plus maybe Wendy Erskine’ The Benefactors, Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Dream State by Eric Puchner (all the dreams), Flesh by David Szalay. Those would be my predictions at this early stage! Not sure of any dead certs though. What do you reckon?

Just to add, I always read several of the longlisted books even though I often find them disappointing. I find the Booker generally tends to reward quite slow, worthy, po-faced writing and I’m not sure why. I prefer books with a bit more pace and humour (while still inherently literary!) but there’s usually only one or two of those on the list each year, if you’re lucky. Sometimes I’m not sure why I bother to keep up with it!

I am so pleased that I now have a friend to speculate with @balmyafternoon

Dream Count, I think.

Have you read it?

I’m in! I always read the longlist.
If Dream Count were on it, I’d be pleased, as I’ve just finished it (so would have one already under my belt).
However, I don’t think it will be. I thought it was okay, but not one of her best.

The two I would really like to see are Alan Hollinghurst’s Our Evenings and The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller. I agree that Dream Count might make it. Also possibly There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak. I thought Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell was brilliant.

Books need to have been published between 1 October 2024 and (presumably) 30 September 2025 - I think publishers have to submit proofs of some summer/autumn published books for consideration, as the deadline is now passed for longlisting. There are Rivers in the Sky was published in August last year so not eligible for the 2025 list.

I just found the Goodreads list of Booker eligible books and have cast some votes, which has helped me to identify some favourite eligible titles. I've added one and voted for seven others that I've actually read, and my favourite 5 are

Sofka Zinovieff, Stealing Dad
Karen Russell, The Antidote
Rachel Seiffert, Once the Deed is Done
Roisin O'Donnell, Nesting
Eimear McBride, The City Changes Its Face

I've also voted on the GR list for books by Alan Hollinghurst, Anne Tyler and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - you can vote for up to 100, which seems a bit mad, as surely even the most prodigious readers are going to have read books which aren't eligible (books published outside the timeframe/non fiction/translations/genre fiction/short stories etc) but at least you don't actually have to decide what not to include in your own list!

There are several books which I'm currently reading or have TBR (Kindle purchases, Netgalley advance copies and borrowed from the library), and there are a few I'm looking forward to vey much but haven't actually got yet. On the strength of what I've read so far, I think the Women's Prize longlisted The Dream Hotel by Leila Lalami might make it on to my personal choices list.

DP picked up my long awaited reservation of Fundamentally from the library the other day and then sat down for a coffee outside a cafe on a really busy high street area. There was a man making a lot of noise and while DP was looking round to see what was going on his bag was stolen with my library book in it. (I think there were people working together - one to cause a distraction while another looked for likely things to snatch from benches and tables). So I'm a bit sad but hoping another copy will become available soon.

I'm top of a library reservation list for Esther Freud's new novel, due to be published in July.

I hadn’t heard that Patricia Lockwood had written a new book, that makes me happy.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/culture/article/20250619-the-best-books-of-2025

These lists are starting to pop up.

i might start my reading now in the hope that I can cover the longlist. I am always on holiday when the list comes out.

Interested to see Emperor of Gladness there as I’ve read two extremely critical reviews of this, enough to put me off reading it. Seems to be a real marmite book. I wasn’t that keen on Universality either. Some intriguing books here though.

Ah, I quite fancied Universality. That’s a shame.

Lots of people liked it so it may be just me.

I think Sarah Moss is overdue a nomination. Ripeness might be her one.

I think you’re right about Sarah Moss. I’ve got that on order at the library, hedging my bets.
I’ve just started reading a debut novel called ‘We Pretty Pieces of Flesh’ by Colwill Brown. It’s a coming of age novel set in Doncaster in the 90s about a group of working class teenage girls. It’s written in dialect and is so good already I think it will be longlisted (and if it is I’d pick it for the winner).

Everyone excited for tomorrow? There's quite a few predictions about on bookstagram. Not much overlap though.

Yes. I really wish it was released earlier in July and had houghtvthag today was the day, actually!

I’m excited! Announcement at 2pm. I’m currently reading ‘Our Evenings’ by Alan Hollinghurst and it’s lovely. It’s hotly tipped for the longlist, but that means nothing.

Yes I wish it was announced today as I'm going on holiday tomorrow before the announcement. Just hope some of the list are things I've got on my kindle.

Yes I’m excited about the longlist. I will be disappointed if Alan Hollinghurst isn’t there. Recently I have read Love Forms by Claire Adam which I thought was very good, and Flesh by David Szalay, which I liked though his curiously flat style takes a bit of getting used to. Wouldn’t be surprised to see either on the list.

Can I join in!! I used to try and read the long list then had a baby so that went out the window 🤣 but now have a part time job at the library creating is back on!!

I’m currently reading Safe Keep the Women’s Prize Winner this year!!

I loved The safekeep. I'm halfway through Ripeness and really enjoying it. I have The book of guilt out the library and would like an excuse to buy Theory and Practice. Have The artist and Nesting on my kindle.

Ooh interesting list. Not read any of them. Anyone else?

Booker Prize Longlist 2025.

I’ve read 4: Universality (didn’t like); Flesh ( enjoyed but wasn’t overwhelmed by); Love Forms (excellent and moving); Land in Winter ( absolutely outstanding imo- would be happy if it won). Disappointed by nonappearance of Alan Hollinghurst.