I ranked the Booker Prize longlist from worst to best (and predicted the shortlist)

For the second year in a row, I managed to read all of the books from the longlist 🎉

In this video I've shared some reflections on the reading experience, common themes I noted, and I take a look at some Goodreads stats to see what the longlist might look like if Goodreads loggers were in charge.

I've also ranked the books from worst to best, with the top six making up my dream shortlist, plus I take a guess what I think the judges will pick.

Booker announcement on YouTube (7pm BST, Monday 16 September)

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If you'd like to see my more in-depth reviews of all the books on the longlist, check them out below.

Wild Houses

Headshot and Orbital

James

Stone Yard Devotional, Held, My Friends

The Safekeep, Playground, This Strange Eventful History

Enlightenment, Creation Lake, Wandering Stars

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Books mentioned
📖 Wild Houses, by Colin Barrett
📖 Headshot, by Rita Bullwinkel
📖 James, by Percival Everett
📖 Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
📖 Creation Lake, by Rachel Kushner
📖 My Friends, by Hisham Matar
📖 This Strange Eventful History, by Claire Messud
📖 Held, by Anne Michaels
📖 Wandering Stars, by Tommy Orange
📖 Enlightenment, by Sarah Perry
📖 Playground, by Richard Powers
📖 The Safekeep, by Yael van der Wouden
📖 Stone Yard Devotional, by Charlotte Wood

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00:00 Longlist thoughts
04:01 Goodreads shortlist
06:58 Ranking and personal shortlist
16:05 Judges shortlist prediction

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Thank you so much for watching.

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#booktube #bookerprize #reading

[benreadsgood]

Apologies that my external microphone decided it didn't want to participate the video about halfway through 🫠

[rororeads]

Just about as good as a Booker ranking video you can get! Ben, you keep outdoing yourself. Superb!

[ES_LA]

You bring each book to life in very few words. Well done!

[leeh]

Ok Ben’s video watched, all I need to know about the Booker done - happy that Stone Yard Devotional made your shortlist 🇦🇺😊

[a_bookish_gemini]

Fantastic video Ben. You put an enormous amount of work into this despite Booker-fatigue and it shows. So much insight, wonderful delivery. YOU are at the top of MY YouTube shortlist 😂❤

[mahivivazqueztarducci]

I don't think I have ever seen such a thorough analysis! I really enjoyed that, thank you! :)

[StephanieP]

My personal pick is the Safekeep, but I'm not sure it will make the short list. I have a hunch Stone Yard Devotional might win this year. Don't know why.

[scallydandlingaboutthebook]

I loved the Goodreads analysis. I can't resist a bit of data and a graph. Thanks for balanced reflections too. I haven't read There There and found Wandering Stars really rewarding regardless. No emoji but some appreciation of a lot of reading and a great video.

[hasteyebooks]

Great video Ben! I'm only on my 3rd read of the Booker longlist as I haven't gotten my hands on more, but I enjoyed the two I finished 😆
Really enjoyed your stats on Goodreads ratings and such! You do such a great job with your videos!
I really enjoyed Orbital (one of my two haha) but I did find I could only read a few pages at a time. I'm finding Headshot strange, but you're encouraging me to keep going!
I'm happy that James was the other book I was able to read and I'm so happy to see it number 1 here! I loved The Trees, but James was incredible!! Let's see the shortlist tomorrow!

[marshacasner]

You are one of the best on Booktube. Your videos are always amazing!!!

[kimswhims]

Well done on finishing the list. I agree with what you think might make the shortlist, although I hope they swap Strange Eventful History with Safe Keep. I had to dnf Strange Eventful History when it got to the Australian section about midway, there were just a few verifiable errors that made me question other sections and I couldn't go on. If the writing appealed to me more I wouldn't have been thrown out of the story as much, but I was. Still have Wandering Stars, Headshot, Playground and Creation Lake to go on my TBR.

[Rachel-]

You’re my go to for Booker content - I’ve watched all your reviews and this was a great wrap up! James is my pick for the winner (as like everyone else) - but very excited to start Stone Yard Devotional, great to see some aussie books getting recognition 🇦🇺

[chambersstevens]

Well you got 3 out of six. And 2 of the shortlists are on your bottom of the list. Still loved hearing your thoughts. U do a wonderful job describing books. Even ones you don't really like. Looks like everyone is picking James. Have you checked out the audiobook of it? Incredible.

[emmavd]

Thank you very much, Ben, for all your thoughtful and inspiring reviews!🌷I’m very much of a mood reader and couldn’t possibly think of reading the whole longlist. So… well done, Ben! I have only read two of the longlisted novels so far and loved them both. My favourite I think is 🇱🇾🐈Playground will be next.

[Ali-AvidReader]

Great video, loved all the stats! I hope Stone Yard Devotional makes the short list as it’s my favourite of the four I’ve read so far. Must read James!

[thelefthandedreader]

Ben, this was so much fun! I’m inspired more than ever to read My Friends. And I adored James.

[cecilialau_]

I’m reading My Friends next and I can’t wait. Also been completely convinced by your review to read The Safekeep and have to really hold myself back and wait to buy it until it’s comes out in paperback (even though I’m really intrigued but it’s not like I don’t have plenty others on the shelves to choose from until then, lol)… Great vid as always, Ben, glad to see you did your own list along with your prediction - and a little analysis as well, I mean, what’s not to like?? 😁😎

[petrageciova]

Superb video and original stats ideas, as always Ben 🏆🤩👌 My favourite pick from the longlist is My Friends 👬👫

[Tetsujin-]

"Reading CATNIP". "Tommy Orange got me in a chokehold".
Jump cut book stacking. Love the content.

[cindyfreese]

Since I only read James and The Safekeep, I’m agreeing with your shortlist. Love your brief review of each. I’m definitely reading Wandering Stars, but that ending in There There—😢