This Book Takes the Prize: The Booker Prize Longlist

The Booker Award (also known as the Man Booker Prize) has been in existence since 1969. It is a British literary award. Its purpose is to select “the best novel in the opinion of the judges”. The jury is a mixture of not only literary types, but also politicians, actors, and journalists.

To qualify for the prize the author must be a citizen of Great Britain, Ireland, or the Commonwealth. The winner receives a 50,000 pound award. The winner and those who are shortlisted (a shorter list of nominees from which the winner is selected)also receive a 2,500 pound check and a designer bound copy of their book.

The “long list” is the first list of nominees. This list includes twelve books. The longlist is winnowed down to create the “shortlist”. The winner will be drawn from the shortlist. The shortlist is due to be released on September 11, 2012.

The following books are on the longlist and have been released in the United States:

Frayn, Michael. Skios.

Skios, the Greek island, is the setting for this farcical novel. The Fred Toppler Foundation is hosting their annual “House Party” on the island. The guest of honor is Dr. Norman Wilfred who will be delivering the keynote lecture. The main character is one Oliver Fox. Oliver is at the airport the same time as Dr. Wilfred. The two men each have the same luggage. Oliver accidentally picks up the good doctor’s suitcase. When Oliver sees the attractive blonde assigned to meet Dr. Wilfred. Oliver decides to pose as Dr. Wilfred. Comic hijinks follow.

Joyce, Rachel. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Harold Fry is recently retired and does not see anything changing. His wife Maureen finds his presence extremely annoying. Everything changes for them both when Harold receives a letter from Queenie Hennessy, a woman he has not heard from or seen Queenie for twenty years. She is writing to say goodbye. She is currently in a hospice. Harold decides to go see Queenie in person to say goodbye. It is a 600 mile walk, but Harold is determined to see it through. As he travels, Harold begins to remember the good things and Maureen begins to miss her husband.

Mantel, Hilary. Bring Up the Bodies

Bring Up the Bodies is the sequel to Mantel’s Wolf Hall, the first book in her planned trilogy about about Thomas Cromwell, Chief Minister to Henry VIII from 1532-1540. Wolf Hall focused on Cromwell’s early life. This volume begins during the aftermath of the execution of Sir Thomas More. Much of the plot focuses on Cromwell’s activities concerning Anne Boleyn’s arrest and execution. Fans of Tudor fiction will find much to enjoy in this series.

Thayil, Jeet. Narcopolis

The unnamed narrator begins his story in New York City, but is deported to Bombay when drugs are found on his person. He becomes a regular at Rashid’s, an opium den. The den and its inhabitants become the focus of the story. The narrator subsequently disappears, and the story becomes that of Dimple, a eunuch(but identifies herself as female) who is a denizen of the opium den. Dimple is an addict introduced to the drug by Mr. Lee, a Chinese refugee. The story follows the characters as both they and the city in which they live evolves.

The rest of the list can be found here.

Stay tuned for the shortlist of six volumes that will be released on September 11, 2012 The winner will be revealed on October 16.