Booker Prize Longlist Reaction 2023

[@carolynmonahan2488]

Old God's Time is one of the books that will stay with me for a long time. The protagonist, Tom, gave me courage to go on in life. There is a line about him not realizing he has been courageous all his life. Loved it.

[@SupposedlyFun]

That sounds fantastic. Thanks for sharing your experience of it.

[@ZimmReads]

loved this. thanks for your great thoughts. always worth the time hanging with ya.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thank you! And welcome back to BookTube!

[@lottiav.422]

So happy to see Matrix on your shelf! I never see anyone talk about it and I loved that one!

[@SupposedlyFun]

It's a fantastic book!

[@gutenbird]

2nd video of yours I've watched and I'm gonna watch some more. A nice different feel than many youtube book channels.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thank you!

[@bookish-bedlam]

I was very surprised with this list with so many books I haven't heard anyone talking about. I'm excited to get going. I'm planning to start with Martin MacInnes and we'll see how far into the longlist I get. Thanks, Greg.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I look forward to your thoughts on what you get to!

[@cmleidi]

It's nice to see Demon Cooperhead left off so attention can be paid to other books. I think it's possible the judges were mixed on DC the way a lot us were. I also appreciate that we don't have major names so it'll be about the book for the most part. If Rushdie had been nominated, I fear it would have felt like a consolation prize for what happened. As for the list, it's the first time where I have most of the books.

[@SupposedlyFun]

To be fair, I think that with 13 books on the longlist, it's possible to have a mix of major names and newcomers. It's easy to say that an established author already has enough, but it's still possible for them to write one of the best books of the year.

[@RunwrightReads]

I want to believe the Booker is about the best book, not about what authors are deserving of (more?) attention. Enjoyed hearing your discussion

[@SupposedlyFun]

I agree! Thanks.

[@hayleystenger2799]

I am listening to Wandering Souls and my eyes keep glistening. It is really great so far. I dont recognize many of the books nominated, but am excited to explore authors who are new to me. That is truly my favorite part of award season. The National Book Award is my favorite for the record.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I'm excited to find out what makes the NBA longlist in September! It's another fun book prize.

[@bookofdust]

Nice overview Greg, and I agree about If I Survive You, and we share that it was in the shadow of Night of the Living Rez, which makes it harder to see a a major contender.

[@SupposedlyFun]

All I can think is that including Escoffery is akin to a vote of confidence in his future as a writer. If it makes the shortlist, I'm going to be really gobsmacked.

[@ht6743]

No Demon Copperhead? That's such a deliberate and glaring omission. Makes the longlist incomplete to the point of irrelevance. It'll never not be okay. Whatever. Team salty, Greg!

[@SupposedlyFun]

#TeamSalty 😂

[@athertonca]

I think this is the year I leave off reading the Booker longlist. I feel this year is The Booker Prize for Obscure Books. Generally I will have already read six or seven; this year I have read three. Last year I read some fairly crappy to mediocre books while trudging through the longlist and I am disinclined to repeat that experience. I *may* be a little salty about DC being omitted. 😮 On one hand, I understand wanting other books to have a chance; on the other I feel that to leave off a book because it has won other prizes calls into question the validity of the longlist.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I'm definitely feeling salty about Demon Copperhead, so I get it. 😉

[@yeshprab]

Remember Arundhati Roy and her debut novel God of Small Things? When Arundhati won the Booker Prize, the entire literary world was astonished. There is much in common between Chetna Maroo and Arundhati Roy. Western Lane is also a debut novel. Both novels have been praised for their lyrical prose, though Chetna has not received as lavish praise as Arundhati Roy. I am predicting that Western Lane will win the booker astonishing the entire literary world. Yesh Prabhu, Bushkill, Pennsylvania

[@SupposedlyFun]

That's a very interesting comparison! I only discovered The God of Small Things after it had won, so I don't know much about its award trajectory.

[@Nurse_Kathy]

I agree with you about DC; it has already won plenty of accolades. Yes, it would’ve been appropriate to include it on the long list. The judges can shine a light on another fine book when they choose the winner.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I agree!

[@hp7920]

The only book on the list I've read so far is This Other Eden and it would certainly deserve to win!

[@SupposedlyFun]

I’m agreeing so far!

[@arlissbunny]

I’m with you. There are a few gems on this list but the list is seriously diminished by books I DNFed because they were too mediocre to finish. On the other hand, the whole list is made small by the what appears to be the political decision to leave Demon Copperhead, Victory City, and Birnam Wood out. I hadn’t realized, prior to this, that the Booker isn’t a “best” book prize, rather, it seems to be a “best books except for the actual best books” prize. 🙄

[@SupposedlyFun]

Every jury has a different methodology, which is part of why the tone of a longlist can vary from year to year. It's hard because the concept of what is "best" isn't universal. But there were some very curious decisions this year.

[@JuditHomolya]

I stayed up until 2 am just to see if my favorite book of the year so far -In Memoriam -made the list. When I realized it was not on it, I got so upset I could barely fall asleep. So, I completely understand your bitterness about Demon Copperhead. However, I’m pretty intrigued by quite a few of these novels. I have already started listening to The Other Eden, and I’m looking forward to your review of it.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I'm sorry you missed sleep over it! There are definitely highs and lows this year--as in any other, I suppose.

[@karenmoore4430]

No Women’s Prize books at all on the list. Shocking

[@SupposedlyFun]

I hadn't realized, but yes--that is surprising!

[@readandre-read]

I also liked If I Survive You but it didn't blow me away. That's the only one I've read but I'm interested in quite a few of these. I just bought a bunch of other books so what I really need is more time!

[@SupposedlyFun]

More time would be ideal! 🤪

[@miriamwatts6929]

Felt the injustice of Demon being omitted but I am very excited to see what these mostly new (to me) authors and titles bring to the page (pun intended!) On a personal note I was very happy to see the inclusion of a neurodivergent author and neurodivergent protagonist - it's probably the one I'm most excited for as an Autistic ADHDer myself. So much so, in fact, that I downloaded a sample read of it on Kindle this morning and have read it already. I have to say, for me, to see a version of my own internal experience of the world written so eloquently and to get to know a character who encounters life disjointedly, as I do, who is fully-fleshed and absorbing, well, it has filled my heart. Not only is Sunday, the protagonist, a part of a genuinely intriguing narrative, she is also not relegated as a secondary character or as a 'quirky' Autistic character, ticking that diversity box as neurodivergents so often seem to be. I have high hopes from a great opening for this book, not least for bringing awareness of the nuances of Autism and raising the profile of Neurodivergence. Ok - so my long big up for 'All the Little Bird Hearts' aside, I'd spotted the theme of motherhood too, this list in general also seems to very mych of the now - as a booklist should be - with themes of global awareness, community, fractured society. I think its fascinating and cant wait to get started - oh, and Pearl was a srand out for me too! Thanks for the in depth video, cant wait to hear your feeling on This Other Eden when you're done. If any of the other books come close to its impact and heart then we really are in for a great season.

[@miriamwatts6929]

Side note- I've ordered the full ATLBH from an independent bookseller 😊 support small, support local!

[@SupposedlyFun]

Representation is so important, so I'm glad you were able to find a positive version of your own experience. That alone seems to justify the book's inclusion on the longlist! And thank you for supporting an indie bookstore! 🥂 I'm hoping to be done with This Other Eden by the time I film Friday Reads this week, but that doesn't leave me a lot of time to get cracking.

[@evajanczaruk8790]

The point of the Booker is to encourage the reading and discussion of contemporary fiction, hence it makes sense to me that some big names were omitted (as in they already are part of public discourse). I think that Margaret Atwood co-win was a consideration ( not that there were two winners but that Atwood was one of them). I think there are some interesting selections and, so far, I have placed my order for The House of Doors and The Bee Sting. I already received my copy of The Other Eden.

[@SupposedlyFun]

To be fair, the exact point of the Booker is to recognize the best book published in English in the UK and Ireland. Encouraging reading and discussion of contemporary fiction is an outgrowth of that. Regardless, omitting big names from the longlist is not a requirement of either goal. I don't think conversation has been lacking surrounding Demon Copperhead, for example. I think people tend to get hung up thinking that you have to sacrifice either known authors or newcomers in order to lift up the other.

[@user-yg6ft1iu1i]

Greg. I’m late to the party. As a devils advocate do you really think Demon Copperhead ( which the author admits ) is David Copperfield with one additional character, will get nominated in home of Dickens. Salmon Rushdies’ Victory City I haven’t read the book tubers I watch haven’t mentioned it. I am a little surprised about Zadie Smith but I think I she would have benefited from her publication date being moved up. I’m looking forward to reading the long list. May be several months off. I sticking with House Of Doors as winner. I think If I Survive you would have been better served as novel versus interconnected short stories. I thought it was little hard to follow.

[@SupposedlyFun]

To be fair, Demon Copperhead won the Women's Prize, which is also based in the UK. I look forward to your thoughts on the full longlist.

[@H-qj9nr]

@@SupposedlyFun Fair point, well taken

[@user-yg6ft1iu1i]

Greg. Just to let you know I’m adding an additional reply ( not to be harping at you) Because your comment about The Womens Prize got me thinking did Ruth Ozeki who won the Womens Prize last year make the Booker long list , she did not in fact Since 2018 ( as far back as I looked) No Womens Prize winner was long listed for the Booker. I found this a fascinating fact and thought I’d share it with. Please take this and any of comments with the spirit of a fellow book lover and not another mean comment writer. Thanks my friend

[@Jana-gz9ho]

Just finished Demon Copperhead yesterday, shortly after the list was announced, very impressed with it. My first Kingsolver but definitely not my last. Not blown away by this list. I actually like to discover new books through prize lists but I am only really interested in 3 of these and 2 I knew of before, This other Eden and In Ascension, the third is Study for Obedience but not running out to get that one. Probably gonna wait and see what everyone has to say when the short list comes out. Last years winner was a disappointment for me, but I found the longlist way more intriguing then this years. I actually liked Treacle Walker! I know it isn't for everyone and was very different for the Booker, but nothing this year feels surprising to me, even if I hadn't heard about them before they all read like "Yeah that's a book on the booker list", no spice.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I'm definitely waiting to see what feedback there is about most of these books. There's usually at least one that I immediately want to jump on--but not this year!

[@joangavrilik3009]

I just read The House of Doors and loved it - happy to see it on the list!

[@SupposedlyFun]

That's good to know!

[@chelseyh.3691]

Hey Greg! Great video, as always. I can't remember which video it was where you had asked for a good book from the asexual perspective, but I just saw one listed in upcoming releases that may be something to consider. The title is Being Ace: An Anthology of Queer, Trans, Femme, and Disabled Stories of Asexual Love and Connection. It sounds like it's a short story collection that covers different genres, and it comes out on 10/10/23. I can't speak to the quality of writing since I haven't read it, but I saw the title and immediately thought, "Ooh, I wonder if Greg knows about this one!" Have a great day! 😊

[@SupposedlyFun]

Oh how cool! Thanks for putting it on my radar. I’m off to look it up and see if a pre-order is going to have to happen. 🥂

[@noteonthetext]

A Spell of Good Things RUINED me. I’m so happy to see it on the list as it does feel more like a Booker book than any other prize. I’ll be curious to see how this all shakes out.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I'm curious as well!

[@audreym859]

Based on these blurbs, I would say In Ascension and The House of Doors interest me the most.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I hope you like them if you pick them up.

[@kimswhims8435]

Oh you've got to try The House of Doors, it will probably make my top favourites this year. Loved it. My favourite of the 4 on the list I've read so far.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Comments have been very mixed so far, so it will be interesting to see what kind of Booker trajectory House of Doors has.

[@paulablazer5244]

❤ I’m bitter along with you! 😂

[@SupposedlyFun]

👯‍♀️

[@annegibson6072]

Good evening. Demon Copperhead is one of the six finalists left for the Booktube Prize. Hope that helps. I have heard that a couple of the books on the longlist have been blurbed by a judge. I am definitely pulling for This Other Eden. A book I am sad to not see on the longlist is The Covenant of Water. I love this novel.

[@SupposedlyFun]

The more I read of This Other Eden, the more I'm rooting for it (since Demon Copperhead is no longer an option). I think Harding would be the first person to win the Pulitzer and the Booker.

[@annegibson6072]

@@SupposedlyFun I was really hoping for Wandering Souls.

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@annegibson6072 It would have been nice to see it here.

[@skscott34]

Yep none of these titles are grabbing me with interest. I will probably read 2 of them but just not enthusiastic about this list. On the plus side, it does shine a much needed spotlight on works that some people aren't aware of.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Comments are very mixed about how excited people are about this list. It will be interesting to see how things go as people get to reading the longlist.

[@kimswhims8435]

The Booker Prize is becoming more obviously a marketing exercise. If a book doesn't need a Booker push for sales (ie Demon) then a publisher may not put the book before the judges in favour of another book. It's one of the reasons why Australians haven't made the longlist in 14 years. Australian publishers have marketing rights in Australia and that is the major market for Australian works. UK publishers don't push Australian works in the UK as much, because their view is that much of the main market for an Aus work is already out of their reach. So The Booker becomes what the judges think of the works placed before them (unless they request something specifically, I suspect The Other Eden might have been on of those requests (b/c of The Chair's blurb). At least they are looking at works from small UK publishers by the looks of things. Anyway, a bunch of good books that we can now look at and compare the merits between them.

[@SupposedlyFun]

That’s interesting context about why Australian books have a hard time making the list.

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

The Garden of Evening Mists was a great book. I’ve heard adaptations of House of Doors on bbc Radio4. There is gay aspect to the novel, as Maugham is with his male secretary & lover in Penang . Old Gods Time I also heard adapted on Radio4. A very good story and very atmospheric. Lots of books on the list I’ve never heard of. Although delighted that there are 4 Irish books on the list; I’m sad that Australia & NZ have been ignored again. I wanted Birnam Wood to be long listed. ☘️👋🍀📕📖📚☕️🇮🇪

[@SupposedlyFun]

I forgot Birnam Wood! When I saw the bit of trivia about all the Irish authors, I thought of you. 🇮🇪

[@marciajohansson769]

Right in time for my commute home. Listen more than watch but hey

[@SupposedlyFun]

Perfect timing! 🤗

[@EllenLury]

Truthfully, I knew Demon would not be on the list. I thought it was the best book of the year but I just knew. Knowing this I was hoping that “Wandering Souls” would have made it. I just can’t wrap my head around this…

[@SupposedlyFun]

I know Demon Copperhead wouldn't win, but I had hoped it would at least make the longlist. Oh well!

[@mradcaqbdb]

To start: I’m not a fan of the Booker. We very rarely have titles in common. Shocked about Demon even though I’ve not read it and have no real plans to. Really not impressed with this list, but there are a couple that interest me. I just picked up In God’s Time at my local indie while I was picking up a book I am super excited about, Disobedient by Elizabeth Fremantle. I tried to preorder Prophet Song, but they didn’t see it on their system, so I may be ordering from Blackwell’s. The House of Doors is a maybe… I’ll get to Adebayo’s book at some point because I still want to read her first book which I’ve had forever. The only one I’ve already read is This Other Eden which was fantastic. Update (still watching): All the Little Bird Hearts just caught my attention.

[@SupposedlyFun]

The further into This Other Eden I get, the more I begin to root for Paul Harding to become the first person to win both a Pulitzer and a Booker.

[@mradcaqbdb]

@@SupposedlyFun I picked a bad day to participate in #NoTweetsTuesday as apparently, Trump was just indicted again. I’ll have to wait for podcasts or midnight.

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@mradcaqbdb You just broke news for me!

[@mradcaqbdb]

@@SupposedlyFun My brain is raging due to people saying his trials won’t be done before the election. These people have one job and it is to try the eff out of him before November 2024!

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@mradcaqbdb "My brain is raging" describes me since 2016 pretty perfectly.

[@Phillybookfairy]

😂😂😂 ok we get it! Barbara Kingsolver! Not on the list! 😅😢 but I really DO think that part of being on the longlist (aside from the prestige) is to bring attention to the other fabulous books out there. What if one of these that you never heard of becomes your favorite book EVER that you might never have known due to a book that already has had its share of the limelight? If you were any one of those authors would you feel snubbed? I’m sure she doesn’t! Btw I loved her acceptance speech for the Women’s Prize, she’s a sweetheart! Anyhow thanks for only spending like 7 mins on the snub part lmfao - this was a great video and I gained some new insights on the books! I’m most interested in- ha - most of them but in particular Old God’s Time because I’ve heard RAVE reviews on it, likewise for This Other Eden and In Ascension. However, A Spell of Good Things - wow I mean that write up - I feel like it may be pegged as at least a short list contender! I’m heading to the library today to see if they have anyyyy of these. I only have The Escoffery one and I haven’t read it yet but will this month hopefully. Happy reading! Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on these as you read them.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Okay but what you are describing is just not the stated purpose of the Booker (or any of the other major book prizes). The purpose isn’t to “bring attention to the other fabulous books out there.” Sure, I might love the books I haven’t read yet. But the one I have already read was mediocre. Anyhow, thanks for only spending like one paragraph complaining about a part of the video you could have easily skipped. 😂😂😂😅😢

[@Phillybookfairy]

@@SupposedlyFun lol my paragraph was shorter than your rant hahahahhahaa but I get it. Sorta. I really liked Demon but the middle dragged a bit for me and I somehow felt a bit disconnected I’m sure it’s ME but it’s not my favorite read of the year…. But even if the prize isn’t to laud new voices it kinda does … let’s face it it’s probably part political part favorites. I like that it’s not just the popular kids. 😂 haters no hating 😳🥰😂

[@SupposedlyFun]

I admit at this point I feel very defensive when it comes to people leaving comments (1) saying "oh my god shut up about Barbara Kingsolver," (2) implying that I don't understand the purpose of the Booker Prize, or (3) doing both and couching the comments as a joke even though the content isn't funny. While your original comment was mitigated by some nice sentiment (unlike a lot of the other comments that do the same thing you did), it's still bizarre to be so compelled to jokingly chastise me for spending time on snubs--something literally every Booker reaction does. Adding a laughing emoji or a lmfao doesn't make something funny. Saying "this was a great video" is nice, but it doesn't erase the fact that you felt a need to complain (twice!) about something no one forced you to watch. As I have now had to say in numerous other responses to comments: I think people tend to get hung up believing that you have to sacrifice either known authors or newcomers in order to lift up the other. It's possible to recognize both. It's also possible to engage in a conversation without opening with "😂 wow, you talk too much about something I don't like and even though no one forced me to watch this, I feel a need to tell you to be quiet lmfao not hating."

[@Phillybookfairy]

@@SupposedlyFun omg no it was not meant in that context at all, I’m sorry that you were offended i wholeheartedly believe and understand this is YOUR space to do you I just thought you were almost being funny in some parts so I laughed. No way was I laughing at or chastising you for your choices or content. I was joking. I was teasing you. I’m sorry that it didn’t come off that way. I love your show and content. Truce? I do not want you to feel antagonized, sorry !

[@Phillybookfairy]

@@SupposedlyFun and I never said shut up about Barbara - I was joking.

[@TheLeniverse]

The lack of literary superstars on the longlist is definitely conspicuous. I'd love to see a transcript of their discussions. Did they get stuck in a three way contest between Kingsolver, Rushdie and Smith and decided to ditch them all? We can only speculate. The only book I am definitely going to read from the longlist is Old God's Time, but I am fairly likely to also read In Ascension and The House of Doors as well. Then I'll wait and see what the shortlist looks like. While I've heard mostly good things about This Other Eden, I just can't get over the review by booktuber Scott/Gunpowder, Fiction and Plot, where he says Paul Harding clearly didn't even take a minute to google how to grow apples or what types of apples existed at the time the book is set. 😆

[@SupposedlyFun]

I haven’t finished This Other Eden yet but taking a quick list of apple types on page two or three of the book and dismissing the entire book feels reductive to me. As for growing the apples, the whole point of that passage was that the character in question couldn’t figure out how to grow them. All respect, but that’s a weird thing to fixate on because it’s so brief.

[@TheLeniverse]

@@SupposedlyFun I guess we all have our hills to die on, and for some is agriculture. I'm looking forward to your review. Personally I'm more worried about how devastating the book might be than the apples. From the blurb it seems like it could get heavy.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Well, for what it’s worth I just Googled all the varieties of apples mentioned in the book and all of them predate Benjamin Honey arriving on the island and attempting to plant them. 🤷🏻‍♂️ The book will definitely get heavy, though!

[@TheLeniverse]

@@SupposedlyFun Sorry to send you on a wild apple chase!

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@TheLeniverse All good!

[@michaelwright6702]

The Booker claims to award the best book written in English published in England and Ireland during the award window. Yet it's hard to believe that all of these books are better than Demon Copperhead. If it's an award to spotlight lesser known authors, they should change their branding.

[@SupposedlyFun]

For me, Demon Copperhead is definitely far superior to the one book on the list I’ve read.

[@deborahaguruso]

Re: Western Lane by Chetna Maroo, and Squash. Don't play squash but I also don't play tennis and Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of my favorite reads this year. So, I plan to read Western Lane and also looking forward to Pearl by Sian Hughes, How to Build a Boat by Elaine Feeney, and Old God's Time although these authors are all new to me. Does anyone else think that the colors and subject of Study for Obedience cover could be for a book called The Goldfinch Part II or The (Dead) Goldfinch? Just not very original but, as we know, The Goldfinch won the Pulitzer. Maybe on purpose?

[@SupposedlyFun]

Study of Obedience really does look like a macabre Goldfinch! 😬 😂

[@deborahaguruso]

Thanks Greg for this video! It was a nice mid-week surprise

[@emmavd]

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio has a dead sparrow on the cover and that refers to Hamlet’s “There’s a special providence in the fall of a sparrow”, which is ultimately a quotation from the Bible (by the way, I was happy I managed to find an edition of that novel without that sad little bird on the cover😊). An alternative to the goldfinch for the dead bird on the cover of Study for Obedience might be a sparrow, perhaps trying to convey the same biblical message? It’s not one of the longlisted books I’m going to read though, so I’ll probably never know😅

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@deborahaguruso Thank you for watching!

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@emmavd Interesting idea!

[@janethansen9612]

I really enjoyed House of Doors. Interesting list, lots of new authors for me to discover. I'm just disappointed there were no Aussie writers included (again)!

[@SupposedlyFun]

Aussie writers definitely have a tough go with the Booker.

[@audreym859]

I've been living in Dublin for almos 10 years, and the notion of Irish police having any sort of power is so bizarre to me that I might be tempted to read it.

[@SupposedlyFun]

😂

[@susanliston342]

I know from Goodreads that I'm not the only person who didn't like Demon Copperhead, but it seems to have created a cult on Booktube. As someone who grew up watching the David Selznick movie version of David Copperfield, and read and liked that book, and having liked Barbara Kingsolver before, I looked forward to Demon Copperhead a lot, and I DNF'd after a 1/4 of it or so. Finally, feeling left out, I tried again with the audio book, got through 45 minutes and abandoned it again. Is it because I know what's going to happen? Maybe if I had no idea it wouldn't have been such a slog.

[@SupposedlyFun]

There are people who didn’t like Demon Copperhead on BookTube. I think Jen the Librarian wasn’t a fan (mostly because she is very familiar with David Copperfield). You can’t force these things!

[@dorydoesbooks]

Loved DC, but I’m also sad not to see In Memoriam or Chain Gang All Stars. Think I’m going to focus on reading the new releases this year that I’m still very excited about and will largely ignore the Booker books until I start hearing some informed reviews.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I feel like usually by the time the shortlist is announced there’s pretty good consensus on which titles should be prioritized.

[@muddywatersbookshelf7758]

No Chain Gang All Stars. No Demon Copperhead. Both stellar books…*sigh*.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I confess I'm not all that surprised Chain Gang All Stars didn't make it, but Demon hurts me.

[@ghanshyamsingh3653]

In a Nutshell...Gregg is bitter🙄 and we all here for it😜 Lmaoo!!! 😅😂❤💙👍👍👍 I have access to four of these books at the time and maybe 6 if I get some pocketmoney in advance...🤔😅 but yeah, will be waiting for the shortlist for now!

[@SupposedlyFun]

Super bitter 😜

[@ghanshyamsingh3653]

@@SupposedlyFun The eyeroll when you read "has been longlisted for booker"...I was sooo Dead laughing, you awesome Gregg, really love your reaction vids for sure with the wrap up ones with Joel! 💙👍😜🤣

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@ghanshyamsingh3653 I should work on having a bit more of a filter 😂 🙄

[@ghanshyamsingh3653]

@@SupposedlyFun Nah Nah Nah...it's fun tbh and makes the videos much more unique otherwise reaction seem to get diluted if you filter em to people's taste! Demon Copperhead is soo on my TBR but since I've all three Pulitzer books, I'm planning to read em together...I totally saw your point and it also made a few people stand out as you compared them with the book! I totally appreciate some bitterness to squash. (Oops...lolzz)...to squash the idealistic pov for such prizes! 😜👍💙

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@ghanshyamsingh3653 Book prizes! They just can't please everyone and apparently this is my year to be annoyed with the Booker. 😂

[@Rainydays19]

I know that Demon Copperhead doesn’t deserve additional attention but I am not sure if the judges can truly say that the 13 books on the list are all “better” than Demon Copperhead. Yes, the Booker is a way to draw attention to lesser known books but I don’t think it should be the main aim.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I can say that for me at least, Demon Copperhead is massively superior to the only book on the list that I’ve read so far. But reading is subjective, I guess.

[@lauracorsi3309]

I'm just not excited about the Booker list at all this year. I'm sure that I am wrong and there are some gems on there waiting to be discovered but right now I just have no motivation to read any of these books.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with holding off until the shortlist is announced or people begin reviewing the books they’ve read. Easy enough to see if anything is worth reassessing at that point.

[@lauracorsi3309]

@@SupposedlyFun Thanks Greg! This makes me feel better. Weird that I needed permission!

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@lauracorsi3309 I get it! It's easy to want to participate when so many people are diving in.

[@abitmuch7682]

no Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton either. I don't mind tho, if your book is already selling then you've won anyway. Highlighting less famous authors is one of the main aims of book prizes imo.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I tend to think that a better balance of known and unknown authors is more realistic and fair. That way you don't overcorrect in one direction.

[@camillodimaria3288]

There was lots of hype built around demon copperhead. In Layman’s terms, I didn’t think it was all that.

[@SupposedlyFun]

There are definitely fans and detractors, but I loved it.

[@dantheman1624]

I thought Booker was only for novels published etc in English countries that are ex US…am I wrong?

[@dantheman1624]

Just looked and it said Booker had to be published in England or Ireland…

[@SupposedlyFun]

Yes--it's for English language books published in the UK and Ireland during the eligibility period. But the book could be American, Australian, etc.--it just has to have been published in the UK. So if an American book is published here but not over there, it does not qualify. I hope that helps!

[@dantheman1624]

I was wondering if that’s why Demon Copperhead was left off…

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@dantheman1624 I would love to have an easy answer like that, but Demon Copperhead was published in both the US and the UK around the same time. One of the benefits of being an established author is that you tend to get representation on both sides of the pond.

[@dantheman1624]

@@SupposedlyFun shoot…that was my easy answer

[@bobbykeniston7240]

I'm about halfway through "This Other Eden", and I do think it is brilliant. I ordered "In Ascension" a little less than a week ago (it has to come from the UK) because Books and Bao loved it--- and I mean LOVED it--- saying it made them look at the universe in a completely different way. And then I saw another reviewer I like a lot say almost the exact same thing, so I figured it was a book I might really like. Now that it has made the longlist, I am even more excited to read it, and feel like I was at least a little ahead of what is sure to be some oncoming hype about it 🙂 I have told you before that you and I differ on "Demon Copperhead" (though I thought it was a good book), but I do know the feeling when something you love doesn't make the list, so I can sympathize. On the other hand, think how happy the literary community in Ireland must be today!

[@SupposedlyFun]

That's true--Ireland must be very happy about this list! I look forward to your thoughts on In Ascension when you finish. I've been making slow progress with This Other Eden and wish I had more time to devote to it, because it's just so good.

[@dylanwolf]

I really disliked the Poisonwood Bible and have given Barbara Kingsolver a big swerve since then. That novel was so earnest and pleased with itself - really unbearable. I'm not sure I want to add Copperhead Demon to my tbr list for that reason, and also because so many people are raving about it, I would start reading it already prejudiced against it.

[@michaelbroderick2282]

Snubbing the Book of the Year makes this year's Booker Prize a joke. Not to disparage those other books because they sound intriguing but no DC? Fire the bunch of them! Oh, you can't? Well then, take away their pen names.

[@SupposedlyFun]

😂

[@KDbooks]

BKR SZN

[@SupposedlyFun]

It's finally here! 🤗

[@KikeNavarrete68]

I really don’t like Demon Copperhead

[@SupposedlyFun]

That's fine! No book is for every person.

[@kamaal_i]

bee sting was the best out of all of them by a country mile . shame you felt the need to disparage its inclusion on the longlist before you'd even read it .

[@SupposedlyFun]

I think I'm entitled to have had a bad experience with an author's previous book and to decide not to read more of their work.

[@amywolfe5673]

What a list! I am as confused about some of the inclusions and exclusions as you are. I have just read House of Doors and didn't like it as much as I did The Garden of Evening Mists, which I loved. I think the author may have taken on too much: it's a story within a story within a story. I thought that the first part of the book had some clunky flaws although it came together in the end, and I am glad that I read it. I'm definitely going to read more WSM. Actually, I have been meaning to recommend The Garden of Evening Mists to you. It is one of my favorite books, and I think you would like it too. It lost the Booker to Wolf Hall, and although I loved that book and understand why the judges chose it, if I had been a judge, I would have chosen TGOEM. It's a beautiful book and the writing just flows. I have also read If I Survive You and agree that it is flawed. No idea why it is on the list. Glad to know that you are reading This Other Eden. It's been on my TBR, but I've been waiting to see what others thought. I have a copy of Old God's Time which I am very much looking forward to and will probably read sooner than later now. I think that of the new-to-me books, I would probably choose Prophet Song, although I have the same reservations as you. Which makes me think of another book I've been meaning to recommend, which is also set (mostly) in Ireland and which is also dystopian. And there's a dog. Don't let the dystopian stop you, it is not as challenging as PS sounds. Lark Ascending, by Silas House, begins in a not-too-distant America that has been devastated by climate change induced fires and class warfare. (When I read the book last winter, I thought that the fires might be a little far-fetched until I woke up one June morning to a countryside filled with smoke....) Eventually, the protagonist makes it to a much changed Ireland and finds a dog who has his own story. Together, with another, they try to reach a hoped-for for safe haven. Spoiler: nothing bad happens to the dog! BTW, the author, Silas House, who has won a slew of awards, is the Kentucky Poet Laureate, the first openly gay person to hold the post. And, just this week, his friend musician Tyler Childers released a music video for which Silas wrote the script about two Kentucky coal miners who fall in love. It received a million + views its first day and is just amazing. I have a definite author crush on Silas. He has done and is doing so much. I just started reading his first novel, Clay's Quilt, and I am really enjoying his writing. If you have any qualms about reading Lark Ascending, including the parts about Seamus the dog, I would suggest that maybe Joel could read it first and allay your fears. I know he'd love it too. Thank you for an insightful video, and I hope that you will consider the books that I mentioned. I think you will enjoy them. Thanks again for all that you do.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thank you for the thoughtful recommendations. And thank you for letting me know nothing happens to the dog--that's a huge relief for me! The dystopia part does make me immediately pause, but the rest sounds interesting (and I love that he's the first openly gay poet laureate for Kentucky). The Garden of Evening Mists sounds fascinating! I had missed it completely. So if nothing else, I can be glad that this longlist is introducing me to the backlist of Tan Twan Eng and Sebastian Barry.

[@amywolfe5673]

@SupposedlyFun Hi Greg, I hope you do get a chance to read The Garden of Evening Mists. It's a beautiful book. As for Lark Ascending, I understand your trepidation. It's not at all the challenging kind of book such as Cormac McCarthy's The Road is, although I would be lying to say nothing bad happens. But, the author does an excellent job of balancing the bad with good and weaving the two together. In fact, there is a near idyllic interlude before Lark, the protagonist, leaves for Ireland, as well as a queer romance. And yes, there have been raging forest fires and raging right-wingers, but that is in the past. Although Lark and his family get as far away from the ultra right as they can. It's definitely cli-fi as opposed to sci-fi (it's not Station Eleven) as well as one of the best books I've read this year. And, Seamus, the dog is wonderful and wonderfully written.

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@amywolfe5673 A winderful dog goes a long way! I got such a kick out of Bandit in The Bandit Queens.

[@spexi513]

Currently reading Wandering Souls & it feels a necessary history /heart lesson thus far 📕🪱💚

[@SupposedlyFun]

I haven’t made it very far at all yet, but I’m looking forward to it!

[@shawnlee220]

I’m with you on DC. I didn’t expect it to win this one but I thought it would be included on the long list. I’ve never heard of most of these books and nothing really caught my attention 🙁 I’m one of those that likes to read from the long list and for sure the short list. Idk about this year though lol 😬🫤

[@SupposedlyFun]

Lots of commenters haven’t felt very excited, either. I think it’s totally within reason to wait until the shortlist is announced or people begin posting thoughts about the books they’ve read to see if anything merits another look.

[@spexi513]

I shamefully have read none of these 😳 though quite a few sound interesting. . I feel awards for a good books should go to good books, not just good books that haven’t won awards, JS. 📕🪱💚

[@SupposedlyFun]

I agree!