Booker Prize 2018 Shortlist – Reaction

Thoughts about books up for this year’s Booker Prize, what we want from book prizes and my reaction to hearing the news of the shortlist. What do you think about the books on the list and which will you read? Click ‘Show More’ for links and info.
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The #ManBooker2018 Shortlist:
Anna Burns (UK) Milkman (Faber & Faber)
Esi Edugyan (Canada) Washington Black (Serpent’s Tail)
Daisy Johnson (UK) Everything Under (Jonathan Cape)
Rachel Kushner (USA) The Mars Room (Jonathan Cape)
Richard Powers (USA) The Overstory (William Heinemann)
Robin Robertson (UK) The Long Take (Picador)

Other longlisted books discussed:
Snap by Belinda Bauer
Sabrina by Nick Drnaso
The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh
Normal People by Sally Rooney
From A Low And Quiet Sea by Donal Ryan

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Get in touch

The fact that there were TWO shortlisted books on Northern Ireland should have been a clue that they'd go for Milkman

[RunwrightReads]

Production wise, I loved how your video ended with your on-the-fly reaction. I enjoy seeing what other Booktubers get up to when they're not sitting in front of their bookshelves ;-)
I was a little confused about the shortlist announcement because their website originally said it was on 9/18 and then on 9/19 when I had double and triple checked the Twitter feed, it said they would announce it on 9/20 at a time when I would be in bed ;-) I didn't read a lot of the longlist but 2 of them made the shortlist so I'll be ordering the remaining ones that I didn't get to.

[pastorytime]

Ive only read the Mars room and Sabrina and loved both of them - and yes, they seem quite linked and explore similar ideas. Loved hearing your thoughts!

[robinsummers]

Hey Eric! Another great video! I enjoy your videos so much. You are smart as a whip when it comes to books! Washington Black and the Mars Room have been on my want to read list for so long. Thank you so much for sharing your excitement and love for books. You teach me so much! Thank you for sharing your talent!

[JasmineReads]

I’ve read 5 ManBooker books so far, but only 1 that’s made the shortlist - The Mars Room. I felt the ideas behind it were much better than its execution, tbh. I am happy with the look of the shortlist, though! Especially seeing The Overstory on there - that’s the one I’ve heard the best things about. I’ll be getting to it next😊

[drawntostories]

The only book I've read from the shortlist (and the longlist) is The Overstory, and found it really impressive. I'm still pondering whether or not I like the way all he strings were pulled together in the end, though. Nevertheless, it is one of the most memorable reads this year for me, so I'm happy to see it on the shortlist!
I ordered Everything Under when the longlist was announced but apparently it was out of stock, so my order was cancelled... So I just reserved the one and only copy from the library, expecting to read it in a month or so. Something tells me I'm going to love it.

[isabelleangouleme]

The Overstory doesn’t really resemble a short story collection (only the first Roots section does). The book resembles the structure of a tree actually - in Roots the narrative strands are separate. In Trunk, they come together. In Crown, they diverge again. ☺️

[OneMinuteReads]

It’s so fascinating to hear your thoughts on how book prizes can compare books which otherwise might be thought of as completely separate genres. As far as my booker reaction, I’m biased because I’ve only read the Sally Rooney but I can’t understand why she isn’t featured!!

[Bookshanks]

So interesting! We predicted 4/6! I'd have liked to see Normal People there but I'm pleased to see Milkman and The Mars Room. Johnson was the real surprise for me - I found that one a real struggle and felt that although her writing was beautiful, she was trying to do to much. The smart money would still be on The Overstory, I think!

[SixMinutesForMe]

I was surprised by the short list, I think Normal People has received so many glowing reviews in the community I expected to see it there. I also thought The Water Cure would have been there. I still think I’ll try and get to the entire Longlist eventually as they were very different titles. Great commentary as always, Eric!

[h.a.]

I read 9 books so far from the longlist. All that I read and liked you mentioned in your wishlist. My wishlist for the shortlist:
- Normal People
- Everything Under
- Warlight
- The Overstory
- From a Low and Quiet Sea

[Gabrielcezar]

My wishlist was the overstory, the long take, Milkman, Warlight, the Mars room and everything under. These were the ones I want to read as well, don't care for Washington Black. I loved the only one I read, Milkman.

[lexicon]

Great video. Shared your impressions re The Milkman (at moments genius but also very dense at times). I really enjoyed The Mars Room though and as a Canadian will be obligated to cheer for Washington Black :)

[WomanVsBooks]

I didn't enjoy Everything Undrer or The Mars Room, I haven't read the rest of the shortlist but am excited too, most excited for Washington Black and Milkman... I was sad Warlight wasn't there ☺

[brainfragrances]

Imo 'literary value' (and that's a vague term as it is) is more important than form factor. Like you said, within the well-accepted range of books is still a wide diversity in form or reading experience.

[browngirlreading]

I'm happy to see Washington Black on the list too. Funny I started listening to Milkman last night. I'm enjoying it so far. I think the Man Booker needs to be more transparent about the first big list of books they choose from. And they refuse to be transparent about that and I don't understand why. Literary prizes are becoming more and more aloof. I'm using that word because it seems as though they are constantly changing what kind of books they want to reward. That's making for wishy-washy longlist. Consistency would be a great thing. I've fallen completely out of love with a lot of the prizes because of that. It starts to feel more like a popularity contest.

[fay-amieaspen]

I've already said on Steve Donoghue's channel that I'm really happy with the shortlist, possibly for the first time ever since I've actively been collecting the books over the past ten years. All six are books that I definitely want to read! The only two missing that I want to read are From a low and quiet sea and In our mad and furious city. Normal People, I'm thinking about! Snap, I read and thought was awful, glad I sold it quickly and made exactly my money back on it!

[bookishshenanigans]

I just finished The Overstory and really enjoyed it, I thought it would be THAT pretentious book that gets short-listed because it has a grand idea but I have to give it Powers, he nailed it. Just got Washington Black from the library, so excited to read it, am still waiting for Milkman which I think I will love (but then I'm biased because I'm from Northern Ireland).

[michaeldornan]

Loved The Mars Room with its depiction of people born with no hope which is a very strong criticism against the present [American] system . So beautiful but so painful. Washington Black was, for me, a mixture of Charles Dickens and Donna Tartt... there is nothing like a good story and this one is excellent. The Over[long]story is just a jumble of stories put together for no particular reason. Have still only read half of it but so far this is my opinion... who knows it may change if I get round to reading the rest!

[neilhutchinson]

Hi Eric, Well I predicted 4/6 and my only two 5 star reads are still there so I'm pleased. (Powers/Robertson).

Big surprise that Rooney didn't make it and I did not like Kushner at all.

Well done to Daisy Johnson who I didn't predict as I felt it only had an outside chance of making the shortlist.