Sunday Salon: A Booker Prize update

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It's Labor Day!
Happy Sunday morning! We here at Casa Nomadreader are gearing up for a delightful gathering of friends and family to celebrate a three-day weekend, but I'm taking a welcome break from cleaning to update you on my Booker Dozen reading progress.

Booker Dozen: a failure of sorts
How am I doing? Not as well as I hoped. The Booker Prize shortlist will be announced Tuesday, and I'm eagerly awaiting the announcement. Despite my plan to read all thirteen of the novels on the longlist by Tuesday, I've only managed to read only six of the thirteen. I did realize this week I've managed to read all of the novels by female authors (plus one by a male author.) I certainly didn't intend to read the female authors first, but I suppose I do naturally gravitate toward woman-authored fiction, so it shouldn't be a surprise.

Now what?
Well, thankfully I enter any optimistic goal with a back-up plan. The shortlist may be announced Tuesday, but the winner won't be crowned until October 12, which gives me an extra month to complete my goal. I have all seven books in my possession, and I'm really looking forward to completing this goal. Here's what I have left to read:
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet: A NovelThe Finkler QuestionStars in the Bright SkyCThe Slap: A NovelSkippy Dies: A NovelParrot and Olivier in America
Honestly, I'm looking forward to all of them except the Peter Carey because the reviews I've read have not been terribly favorable. Still, Peter Carey is an author I've been meaning to read for years, so I am curious to experience his prose. At this point, I'm waiting until Tuesday to see what makes the shortlist, and I'll read it first. It will be a busy thirty-six days, but I'm looking forward to it.

The odds
I won't make predictions for this year's shortlist, as I've read only six of the thirteen, but I am hoping Room makes it. (I'm also hedging my bets Room will be the next Oprah Book Club selection, which will be announced September 17.) It has been fascinating to watch the actual odds change too.

Stay tuned Tuesday for my reaction to the shortlist. In the meantime, happy reading!

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Comments

  1. StephanieSeptember 5, 2010 at 2:05 PM

    Six out of thirteen is still very good. I am most excited about Room and Skippy Dies, both of which I really want to read. I will not be reading the Peter Carey book!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownSeptember 6, 2010 at 8:48 AM

    I think you did well - especially considering you hadn't read any before the announcement. I was lucky to have already read a few of the longest before the announcement. I also reached the end quicker as I gave up on a couple ;-)

    I suspect that many of the ones you've left to read will make the short list - providing you with another incentive to finish.

    Good luck!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. ZibileeSeptember 6, 2010 at 10:53 AM

    I am hoping Room wins as well, though I have to be honest and say that it's the only one on the list that I have read. And also, good on you for reading so many of them! I have always wanted to do that! Good luck with finishing them in time!

    ReplyDelete
  4. JennySeptember 6, 2010 at 4:39 PM

    Ooh good guess on the Oprah book club thing! I wouldn't be surprised if it did get chosen for that. I also think it should win! I'll be looking forward to reading your review of The Slap!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Natalie~Coffee and a Book ChickSeptember 6, 2010 at 10:18 PM

    I have heard so very much about Room! I cannot wait to read this one!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. CareSeptember 7, 2010 at 1:50 PM

    Good luck on your goal! I am tremendously excited for Room.

    ReplyDelete
  7. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaSeptember 7, 2010 at 11:18 PM

    You did well with these. I'm not very good at predicting these winners. I did like Room a lot.

    ReplyDelete

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