predicting (and reacting to) the international booker prize shortlist 2024

main channel: / thejackexperience
Instagram: / jackbenedwards
video chapters:
00:00 introduction.
01:53 Lost On Me by Veronica Raimo
02:57 Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck
03:23 The Details by Ia Genberg
04:46 Undiscovered by Gabriela Wiener
05:34 White Knights by Ursula Honey
07:08 the shortlist.
08:30 um, there’s six.
09:21 back to the shortlist.

[@asahdo]

It’s so funny watching Jack try to still be complimentary and hide his surprise when a book he didn’t like gets shortlisted 😂 it’s like when someone accidentally gets you slightly the wrong present and you have to simultaneously try and sound really grateful while also hiding your disappointment 😅

[@celestica55]

i will never get over how fire of a channel name ‘jack in the books’ is like????? pun ate?????

[@heyitsdaliiii]

Pun as in jacking the books?

[@alishak6073]

english isnt my first language HELP explain it to me

[@jaidelossantosonline731]

@@alishak6073 probably a play on the english folktale 'jack in the beanstalk'

[@alishak6073]

@@jaidelossantosonline731 i thought it was Jack *and* the beanstalk?

[@SaidByTy]

@@alishak6073 It’s based on the toy “Jack in the box.” But instead his channel is “Jack in the books.”

[@itsGabrielaCristina]

If I had a nickel for every time Jack made the nickel joke…i’d have way more than 2 😂😂😂 love you, Jack

[@juliadecastro6285]

I absolutely LOVED Crooked Plow! I read it earlier this year in the original Portuguese and even got a chance to see Itamar Vieira Junior speak at University of Toronto. It was one of those books that made me feel like I was eating it, chewing the words, consuming every bit of it and sitting with it deep inside me. As a Brazilian myself I love noticing how most Brazilian and South American books in general can be categorized as "magic realism." It all just seems so natural to me. The "magical" aspects, I mean... South America is actually sort of just like that. I'm excited to see what you think about it.

[@annalewandowska1409]

White nights in Poland was published by Wydawnictwo Czarne. It's one of those publishing companies that you can kinda go blind and buy their books. They publish great things.

[@cixloview]

czy polecasz jakieś inne książki również tego wydawnictwa?

[@roza2633]

hej jestem z Polski ale czytam głównie po angielsku, jak masz jakieś książki do polecenia to byłabym wdzięczna 👀

[@nataliafratczak9607]

@@cixloview “Drobiazgi takie jak te” albo “Przez błękitne pola” Claire Keegan

[@roza2633]

i'm polish but nowadays usually read in english so it's really funny getting polish authors i haven't even heard of recommended from jack fjjsjs also deeply appreciated! need to get my hands on white nights

[@martinagervasi2927]

Same with Italian!

[@meikusje]

I'm Dutch and have had the same happen to me with Dutch authors 😂 it's kind of annoying how the same books and authors get promoted in all stores and by all publishers here, makes it really difficult to discover new, interesting stuff. And there is no 'Dutch author' section in bookstores either, it's just 'books in Dutch', so quite often when browsing I'll just constantly be picking up translated books even though I'll be looking for books by Dutch authors. I've now subscribed to some indie publishing companies' social media in hopes of finding interesting new works by Dutch authors.

[@roza2633]

@@meikusje in poland i have the advantage of there being a section for polish literary fiction and such but if i wanted to read other genres by polish authors it really is just a long process of looking through the books trying to figure out which ones aren't translated so i feel you. it's kind of crazy hearing native english speakers always placing a lot of importance on specific book being translated because most books here are

[@cixloview]

poland mentioned! haha i’m glad you like white nights so much. i’m polish and didn’t even know about this book now i got the original in the cart and i’m excited to read it!

[@magda_mf]

Oooh as a Polish person I'm so happy you liked White Nights! I would love for you to read more Polish literature ❤

[@gruszkajestem_]

same here ❤️

[@mikelarosales6517]

Hi! I recently moved to Poland and I'm trying my best to learn the language, but in the meantime I'd love to immerse in the culture in some other ways, that's all to say that I'd be so so grateful if you had some Polish book recommendations to share 🌻

[@magda_mf]

@@mikelarosales6517 that's so interesting! For a start I would recommend some children's literature or YA as the language might be easier in those. Then maybe you could read something you have already read in your own language? I feel like the contemporary Polish literature often has some complex language. My favourite author is Jakub Małecki, I would also recommend Stanisław Lem if you like scifi, and some important classics like Lalka. Good luck learning Polish! 😊

[@susanalfieri4487]

When I lived in NYC, Polish people were some of my favorite! Such humor and zest for life.

[@kleepflanze]

loving the setting and LIGHT in this video!! (everything else as well of course but it’s just really pretty looking)

[@bestnarryever]

I usually don’t pay attention to the booker prize as it doesn’t affect my local market, but MAN i am very very very very excited that a Brazilian contemporary book was shortlisted this year! So proud! ❤❤❤❤

[@lucas8409]

Argentinian here. So happy to see Not a river in the shortlist🇦🇷 is a great short novel

[@mahivivazqueztarducci8780]

Yo tambien!! waiting for my upcoming trip to Argentina to go buy this book in its original language :)

[@annathenerd5345]

as a fraternal twin, what i’d rather not think about sounds intriguing (maybe that’s morbid) but all the reviews make me what to add the entire list to my growing tbr pile

[@ellarose8696]

Wow it’s been a year! I remember last year Jack was scared he wouldn’t be invited to do it again, good on you!!!!

[@nathaliaborghi3979]

Can't wait for you to read Crooked Plow! As a brazilian, it's always great to see an author nominated to the booker.

[@secretthirdthing22]

as a polish person, I decided to read White Nights immediately after I saw you recommend it. I'm now 3 stories into the book and I had to stop reading it because I started uncontrollably bawling on the train. It touched me deeply and uncovered nostalgic feelings I hadn't even known about. I don't recommend reading it in public.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

My prediction is that Jack Edwards is going to be a great host with the livestream. Good luck and bless!

[@nimratmand3318]

Duhhhh

[@agatapopis4327]

Well okay! I'm Polish and also literature student and it made me so so so happy that a polish book made it to the longlist. But when I started reading it I kinda felt like it's not gonna make it. I loved it dearly but it's so polish to the marrow to its bone, and polish cultural subtext is not very well known or appreciated in the western media and I am also always weary of how much of it's character polish books lose in translation, bacuse it's common for polish literature that the most of it's character is hidden in the versatility on the language, so... I'm sad but unfortunately not surprised.

[@agatapopis4327]

woah drink every time i say polish in this one ig

[@laurenschenck5355]

CONGRATULATIONS JACK!! You are amazing and so happy you get to do it again! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@nathaliasantos1886]

Can't wait to see your opinion about crooked plow! I read it last month and really think it is a new brazilian classic.

[@andresposito]

Jack, please read Torto Arado (Crooked Plow). It feels like an instantaneous classic. You will love it!

[@Werasliwa]

I Freaking loveeee “White nights” by Urszula Honek. It’s just perfect. I read it in polish and it definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. Cause I knew that it was gonna be very weird and eerie BUT this book is a masterpiece❤❤! And I’m so glad that’s it’s more hype!

[@Essie_K]

Congrats Jack! You were amazing last time. So happy you get to do it again! ❤

[@TheJoannaCruz]

I'm so happy to see a Brazilian book on the list. This book is well loved around here

[@miriamblanco8526]

I wanna read white nights and the details they sound amazing. Particularly interested in how you described white nights as satisfying and proper length on each short story. I struggle with short stories because I always feel like just as I’m getting into one, suddenly it’s over in a rush and on to the next.

[@amrutashrotri5803]

Hi, Jack. I love your channel and I am always adding books to my tbr after watching your videos. I have a request. Could you please make a video on all the short books that you’ve read so far?

[@rubyabbott9412]

So happy for you and your achievements! Would love to see you read some Australian fiction in the future. I've definitely got some books I love and would love your perspective on (over this backbone, heat and light, etc.) Can't wait to see what you do next :)

[@daph1989]

So happy to see The Details on the shortlist! I read it in March and really enjoyed it. I picked out Kairos, A Dictator Calls, and Simpatia from the longlist and really want to read What I'd Rather Not Think About too! I would love to read White Nights but it doesn't seem to be available digitally... 😭

[@dianaisme]

Yesss a video from Jack on a sunday!!!

[@tejalkashyap7207]

I legit saw this in notification and clicked without thinking 😂

[@dianaisme]

@@tejalkashyap7207 Hahah same!!!

[@francescatelari]

YEESS THE DETAILS

[@susanalfieri4487]

Congrats, you! The livestream...that's so cool. No one more deserving. Can't wait, Jack.

[@veronicavids]

happy to have you back!

[@zerkosnow2556]

i don’t know what you ate before this but you look so goodd 😘✨

[@delaney8949]

Jack I cannot wait for your book your mind is so beautiful and the organization of your thoughts and the articulation of your words are so provoking. I don’t know if that’s the right phrasing but I’m just so so excited🫶

[@aimeejacobs9519]

I am Dutch, but have been reading almost exclusively in English for several years now. And now a video by a British youtuber talking about translated books caused me to pick up a non-translated book in my native tongue for the first time in years. The irony is strong with this one...

[@angela_42]

I also found Not a River a bit tough (but great!). I totally understand why it is shortlisted. I've also read The Details, and again, definitely makes sense that it's on the shortlist, it was so amazing. I really liked Undiscovered, but i think i do agree with it not being on the shortlist. I have almost finished Crooked Plow, which is so amazing, and am halfway through What I'd Rather Not Think About (but in Dutch, because i am Dutch), which i think is...fine, so far

[@magda_mf]

I wanna read Kairos so so badly 😩

[@vanilli9356]

Me too! I’m so intrigued by it🥹

[@laurenschenck5355]

Happy Sunday Jack and hope you are having a great weekend 😊❤😊

[@Crowfield85]

Jack? I promise I don't mean this in any mean way, but... the Wall is only down since ~ 30 years. A book that deals with THAT part of Germany, in THAT time is a DEEPLY political book, even if it is just used as a "backdrop". A book that deals with the fall of the Wall AND the German reunification? Trust me, that is deeply political, too. Granted, I only read like the first 20 pages before that parallel writing style wore me out, but - as a German - you can not convince me that this is "just" a love story.

[@thebibliothekes]

Honestly, the details sounds amazing! Inmediatly added it to mu tbr

[@chocolateoreo6489]

The icon Jack Edwards posts again! Yay❤❤❤

[@itsGabrielaCristina]

The ones I’ll the reading first are the only two that caught my eye from your long list video and that I ordered: The Details and What I’d Rather Not Think About.

[@claudiadeoliveira6124]

I just started Crooked Plow and I am loving it!

[@meganrockey8290]

Jack I would looove a video series that is centered around the setting of a book. Like if you grouped books based on their setting - set in Greece, or Croatia, or Brazil etc. almost like an immersive travel video? It would be fun to hear your recs for “books to read before you visit xyz”!

[@trudejensen8512]

The Details was one of my best reads last year (in Norwegian).

[@ellarose8696]

Amazing Jack!

[@musicbyreign]

3:52 the picture of dorian gray

[@ericgeneric135]

Can't wait to read Mater 2 10 and Kairos!

[@sordeps]

Crooked plow is a masterpiece!!! 💚🇧🇷

[@jent4762]

I haven't really watched any of Jack's reviews before. (Is your name Jack?) ADORABLE!!! Thanks for the awesome reading suggestions.

[@nicolepenagarcia]

Anyone know why Jack always says ‘the’ before saying the language a book was translated from? Eg. ‘translated from the italian’ or ‘translated from the Spanish’. I’ve never heard anyone say it like this before so i’m curious.

[@jack_edwards]

it's used when omitting a word, so i'm essentially saying "translated from spanish version" but omitting the word "version", so it's just "translated from the spanish" -- translated books will usually use this phrasing which is why i do too when referring to them!! :)

[@ffiontill5924]

Can you make an updated best short books you’ve read and recommend? ((To help reach my goodreads goal, fell into a bit of a slump and would love to get out of it))

[@maryseptihet]

I honestly think Crooked Plow could win and it would be highly deserved !!!

[@StungoBungo]

Just after Jack said he was watching the video where they pull out the individual books on the short list i got an ad for a bookshop. A hand enters the picture, holding a book on gardening. Nothing important, just something funny that happened that was funny to me.

[@AKAThatKid]

I'm living in Korea, I saw Mater 2-10 yesterday but put it back because the size. I think I'll go back and pick it up

[@nibeditamishra1956]

Kairos The details White nights What I'd rather not think about Crooked plow Lost on me Undiscovered

[@indiethebindi]

I am really keen to read Mater 2-10, Kairos and The Details. I also really want to read White Nights now!

[@Katieemmaw]

Yay!!

[@fatimasajid1026]

brought Best of Friends based on Jack's recommendation.. I'm holding him responsible lol

[@AMomWithRocksAndBooks]

Where did you get your bookshelves? And where do you recommend starting with international books?

[@bananachocopie]

Congrats on being the host

[@rurubelle2920]

Idk what it is - if it's the lighting in this video, or maybe you got a new haircut or sumn - but you're looking extra fine here, Jack. Good job 👍

[@irisrijntje5694]

Going to Berlin in 2 weeks going to bring Kairos for sure!!

[@chocolateoreo6489]

I’m sending you all love (:

[@hhah23]

On your main channel you should do more challenges like before. Reading what you see people on the train read, etc. Miss those

[@celestica55]

also that’s so fucking awesome i’m so happy for u

[@mariyajaveedkhan159]

Can we have reading vlog of these books?

[@the_snicklefritz]

I've read 5 books from the longlist so far and 1 from the shortlist (The Details which I really enjoyed) with the remaining 5 on my TBR. Gotta be honest, I was really disappointed in Undiscovered and think the judges made the right choice in leaving it off the shortlist. It started out interesting and morphed into so some sort of sympathy-grifting, infidelity-justifying rant about "Decolonizing Your Desires". The Silver Bone was really fun for the historical setting, I enjoyed bouncing around Kyiv post WW1. Simpatia was unfortunately not a hit for me as well. It dealt less with dogs and more about the concept and idea of abandonment than you'd gather from the book blurb. The Details was a quiet portrayal of the relationships that shape who we are that I felt really engaging and definitely worthy of the shortlist. A Dictator Calls was challenging but I liked what it was doing and can see myself rereading in the future to wrap my head around all the different repercussions and fallouts from that fateful call.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

“…and some guests…” HMMMMMMMM

[@HS.TS.1D]

Hey!!

[@NatAsh14]

Wait it's the booker prize again already?! I swear you just hosted the 2023 one a few weeks ago LOL

[@annefloorlanting5147]

International booker.. for books from all over the world that have been translated into English. That was the Booker, for books that are originally written in English..

[@guachuleruleru]

I hope not a river wins, it's one of my favorite books ever❤. I think you finding it hard to read might have to do with the translation. In spanish it flows.

[@snehapradhan5591]

❤

[@jenniferkate7167]

i loved the details!!! what i'd rather not think about is the only other shortlisted one i've read, and sorry to be a downer but i don't really think it's deserving of its place. it was good but nothing special, not sure what i'm not getting about it ://

[@emmaberger3748]

Seeing Jack NOT guess right is kind of refreshing 😂

[@carolabrandariz4431]

Selva Almada❤🇦🇷

[@JahricLago]

We need you to review 'Some People Need Killing' by Patricia Evangelista! ❤❤❤

[@alisezone1800]

The propaganda gets me at last - next time I’m at Barnes and noble I’m buying both the White Nights

[@tanvimalkarnekar1612]

PLEASE READ Einstein's dreams

[@Katieemmaw]

Yay!!