The final nominees for this year’s Booker Prize for fiction were announced on Tuesday (Sept 6) in Britain, including the oldest author and the shortest book ever to make the prestigious six-strong literary shortlist.
This booker prize is the top literary honour given to any English novel.
A life-changing opportunity, equal numbers of men and women competed for the award, which was narrowed down from a longlist of 13 revealed in July.
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Octogenarian Englishman Alan Garner, turning 88 this year on October 17, when the prize will be announced, got shortlisted for his novel “Treacle Walker”, the shortest novel by word count. finest known for his children’s fantasy books and folktale retellings, he received the nomination after six decades in print.
Neil MacGregor spoke about the overall selection, saying, “They’re not easy books, even though they may be short. But like many great pleasures, some require hard work, and we found them well worth the effort,” AFP reported.
Another shortlisted Zimbabwean novelist, NoViolet Bulawayo, made it for the second time, for his book “Glory.”
The only other author not from the British Isles or the US was Shehan Karunatilaka of Sri Lanka, who won for “The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida.”
The selection of American Percival Everett for “Trees” gave independent publisher Influx Press its first spot on the Booker nominee list.
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The other remaining is Claire Keegan, an Irish author of “little Things Like These,” who is the finalist with the fewest pages at 116.
The last one remaining is an American author, Elizabeth Strout, for “Oh William!”
MacGregor said that these are the pieces the judges liked. He said, “They’re books that we want to recommend to others. They’re not too long, and that’s maybe evidence that we’re looking at not just great writing, but also some great editing, “AFP reported.
The winner will be announced on October 17.
(With inputs from agencies)
