Booker Prize Shortlist Highlights Two Previous Winners
LONDON (AP) — Marlon James and Douglas Stuart have been shortlisted for the Booker Prize, marking a potential second win for each author. This year, they join an elite group, aiming to become only the fifth recipients of the prestigious award to achieve this feat.
The five-member judging panel narrowed down the original 163 submissions to six shortlisted books. Historian Mary Beard, the panel’s head, praised the shortlisted works for their engaging narratives and vibrant characterizations, highlighting that many had become “old friends” after multiple readings.
Shortlisted Works
- Marlon James: The Disappearers — Focuses on a group of gay men in 1980s Jamaica.
- Douglas Stuart: John of John — Explores father-son secrets on a remote Scottish island.
- Elizabeth Strout: The Things We Never Say — A heartfelt portrayal of life in New England.
- Rebecca Perry: May We Feed the King — A narrative bridging medieval to modern times.
- M. John Harrison: The End of Everything — A post-apocalyptic tale that could make him the oldest winner.
- Luke Kennard: Black Bag — A quirky campus novel.
Notable Facts
- If either James or Stuart wins, they’ll join the ranks of esteemed authors like J.M. Coetzee and Margaret Atwood.
- This year’s shortlist features more male authors than female, a rare occurrence in the last decade.
- The winner will receive £50,000 ($67,000) and a trophy named after Iris Murdoch.
The Booker Prize, founded in 1969, is awarded for the best long-form fiction published in the U.K. and Ireland. Last year’s winner was David Szalay for Flesh. The announcement for this year’s winner will take place on November 9.
