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1kidzdoc
This thread is for reviews and discussions of notable books that were not chosen for the Booker Prize longlist, in 2011 or in previous years.
As we are all aware, the books chosen for the 2011 longlist have been a bit of a surprise, and several novels touted for the list did not make the cut. The literary editors and writers of staff of the Guardian predicted that these books would make this year's longlist:
The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst – the great stylist tackles the whole of the 20th century in a disquisition on poetry and reputation
At Last by Edward St Aubyn – this final instalment brings the semi-autobiographical Melrose saga to an elegant conclusion
Waterline by Ross Raisin – one of the most exciting new voices of the last few years forsakes his native Yorkshire for Glasgow in an extraordinary feat of ventriloquism
Solace by Belinda McKeon – there are usually a few debuts on the list, and this is one of the most accomplished, set against the Irish financial crash
There but for the by Ali Smith – all the usual playfulness, but is this novel mainstream enough for the Booker?
The Visiting Angel by Paul Wilson – Manchester-set care-home novel which may appeal to chair Stella Rimington as it turns into a thriller of sorts, though less of a "whodunnit?" than a "who is it?"
Hand Me Down World by Lloyd Jones – clever picaresque of an African woman in search of her child
The Good Muslim by Tahmima Anam – unflinchingly political second instalment of a family saga set in Bangladesh
The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes. At 160 pages this is on the short side for Booker novel, but if Ian McEwan's Amsterdam could do it ...
Chinaman by Shehan Karunatilaka – match-fixers, terrorists, dodgy government officials and everything you need to know about cricket in Sri Lanka
A Summer of Drowning by John Burnside - mythmaking in the Arctic from a poet with a gift for fictional metaphor
The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright – delicately written account of adultery set against the backdrop of Dublin's property crash
Pure by Andrew Miller – vivid characters, picturesque setting and grand themes on eve of the French Revolution
Some other novels mentioned as possible longlist candidates include (in no particular order):
The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje
The Last Gift by Abdulrazak Gurnah
Anatomy of a Disappearance by Hisham Matar
Last Man in Tower by Aravind Adiga
Gillespie and I by Jane Harris
The Free World by David Bezmogis
King of the Badgers by Philip Hensher
We Had It So Good by Linda Grant
Embassytown by by China Miéville
City of Bohane by Kevin Barry
Long Time, No See by Dermot Healy
Wish You Were Here by Graham Swift
Are there other eligible novels you think should be included in among these titles? Which books from past years should similarly have been selected for the longlist?
As we are all aware, the books chosen for the 2011 longlist have been a bit of a surprise, and several novels touted for the list did not make the cut. The literary editors and writers of staff of the Guardian predicted that these books would make this year's longlist:
The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst – the great stylist tackles the whole of the 20th century in a disquisition on poetry and reputation
At Last by Edward St Aubyn – this final instalment brings the semi-autobiographical Melrose saga to an elegant conclusion
Waterline by Ross Raisin – one of the most exciting new voices of the last few years forsakes his native Yorkshire for Glasgow in an extraordinary feat of ventriloquism
Solace by Belinda McKeon – there are usually a few debuts on the list, and this is one of the most accomplished, set against the Irish financial crash
There but for the by Ali Smith – all the usual playfulness, but is this novel mainstream enough for the Booker?
The Visiting Angel by Paul Wilson – Manchester-set care-home novel which may appeal to chair Stella Rimington as it turns into a thriller of sorts, though less of a "whodunnit?" than a "who is it?"
Hand Me Down World by Lloyd Jones – clever picaresque of an African woman in search of her child
The Good Muslim by Tahmima Anam – unflinchingly political second instalment of a family saga set in Bangladesh
The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes. At 160 pages this is on the short side for Booker novel, but if Ian McEwan's Amsterdam could do it ...
Chinaman by Shehan Karunatilaka – match-fixers, terrorists, dodgy government officials and everything you need to know about cricket in Sri Lanka
A Summer of Drowning by John Burnside - mythmaking in the Arctic from a poet with a gift for fictional metaphor
The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright – delicately written account of adultery set against the backdrop of Dublin's property crash
Pure by Andrew Miller – vivid characters, picturesque setting and grand themes on eve of the French Revolution
Some other novels mentioned as possible longlist candidates include (in no particular order):
The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje
The Last Gift by Abdulrazak Gurnah
Anatomy of a Disappearance by Hisham Matar
Last Man in Tower by Aravind Adiga
Gillespie and I by Jane Harris
The Free World by David Bezmogis
King of the Badgers by Philip Hensher
We Had It So Good by Linda Grant
Embassytown by by China Miéville
City of Bohane by Kevin Barry
Long Time, No See by Dermot Healy
Wish You Were Here by Graham Swift
Are there other eligible novels you think should be included in among these titles? Which books from past years should similarly have been selected for the longlist?
2kidzdoc
The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje (4½ stars)
Michael is a precocious yet naïve 11 year old boy living with relatives in Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka, in the mid 1950s. His mother, who divorced from her husband years before and moved to England, has sent for her son. He is placed aboard a spacious ocean liner for the three week journey, supposedly under the watchful eye of a wealthy friend of the family, but he is essentially left to fend for himself when he is not dining at "the cat's table", so named because it is situated far away from the tables of the captain and the most important passengers.
Michael quickly makes the acquaintance of two other preadolescent boys; Cassius, a troublesome betel-chewing older boy, who was expelled from school but has been selected to attend school in England; and Ramadhin, an introspective and mournful lad. The three unsupervised boys wreak mild to moderate havoc throughout the journey, occasionally accompanied by Michael's alluring and wild teenage cousin Emily, yet they remain just out of reach of harm's way.
The boys encounter and are befriended by a variety of intriguing adult passengers, including an alluring older woman who maintains a stock of birds and wears a coat with pockets for them to be displayed; a musician with two names and even more secrets; and a wealthy man who is dying from a curse placed upon him by a religious man and desperately seeks a cure in Europe. The most mysterious passenger is kept in shackles for a particularly heinous crime, and is only allowed on deck late at night, where the boys observe him with fascination, fear and respect.
The journey marks a transition from the innocence of childhood to the tragedies and disappointments of adulthood for the three boys, although they emerge physically unscathed. The second half of the book describes their intertwined lives, which continue to be influenced by the events of the voyage.
The Cat's Table is a compelling drama, filled with comedy, irreverence and intrigue, with well portrayed characters. Ondaatje does a masterful job in describing the voyage aboard the ocean liner, the mindset of Michael and his young companions, and the sense of ever present menace that held this reader's attention throughout the book. I can't understand why this wasn't selected for this year's Booker Prize longlist, as it compares well with the best of the lot, but it should be a strong contender for this year's Giller Prize.
Michael is a precocious yet naïve 11 year old boy living with relatives in Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka, in the mid 1950s. His mother, who divorced from her husband years before and moved to England, has sent for her son. He is placed aboard a spacious ocean liner for the three week journey, supposedly under the watchful eye of a wealthy friend of the family, but he is essentially left to fend for himself when he is not dining at "the cat's table", so named because it is situated far away from the tables of the captain and the most important passengers.
Michael quickly makes the acquaintance of two other preadolescent boys; Cassius, a troublesome betel-chewing older boy, who was expelled from school but has been selected to attend school in England; and Ramadhin, an introspective and mournful lad. The three unsupervised boys wreak mild to moderate havoc throughout the journey, occasionally accompanied by Michael's alluring and wild teenage cousin Emily, yet they remain just out of reach of harm's way.
The boys encounter and are befriended by a variety of intriguing adult passengers, including an alluring older woman who maintains a stock of birds and wears a coat with pockets for them to be displayed; a musician with two names and even more secrets; and a wealthy man who is dying from a curse placed upon him by a religious man and desperately seeks a cure in Europe. The most mysterious passenger is kept in shackles for a particularly heinous crime, and is only allowed on deck late at night, where the boys observe him with fascination, fear and respect.
The journey marks a transition from the innocence of childhood to the tragedies and disappointments of adulthood for the three boys, although they emerge physically unscathed. The second half of the book describes their intertwined lives, which continue to be influenced by the events of the voyage.
The Cat's Table is a compelling drama, filled with comedy, irreverence and intrigue, with well portrayed characters. Ondaatje does a masterful job in describing the voyage aboard the ocean liner, the mindset of Michael and his young companions, and the sense of ever present menace that held this reader's attention throughout the book. I can't understand why this wasn't selected for this year's Booker Prize longlist, as it compares well with the best of the lot, but it should be a strong contender for this year's Giller Prize.
3Cariola
Gillespie and I should have been on the list. Here's a link to my review on Belletrista.com.
4Cait86
>3 Cariola: - I'm really looking forward to Gillespie and I. Nice review, Deborah!
5kidzdoc
Excellent review of Gillespie and I, Deborah. I almost bought this last week, but I'll definitely buy it in the next day or two.
I'm essentially alternating longlisted books from the non-longlisted ones I've posted above. So far I've read The Cat's Table, The Last Gift and Anatomy of a Disappearance, and all were better than several of the actual longlisted books. I've purchased Waterline, The Good Muslim, and Pure, and I'll probably buy one or two others from the Guardian list, along with Gillespie and I, before I leave London next Sunday.
I'm essentially alternating longlisted books from the non-longlisted ones I've posted above. So far I've read The Cat's Table, The Last Gift and Anatomy of a Disappearance, and all were better than several of the actual longlisted books. I've purchased Waterline, The Good Muslim, and Pure, and I'll probably buy one or two others from the Guardian list, along with Gillespie and I, before I leave London next Sunday.
6RidgewayGirl
Gillespie and I sounds intriguing. I enjoyed The Observations quite a bit, so it's nice to hear she's written another.
7wookiebender
Agreed, I'll have to keep my eyes open for Gillespie and I.
I haven't read it yet, but Amitav Ghosh's River of Smoke is also missing from the longlist. The first in this trilogy, Sea of Poppies, was quite magnificient and was shortlisted for the Booker. I admit, I don't know if the second book will be as good, but one does hope.
I haven't read it yet, but Amitav Ghosh's River of Smoke is also missing from the longlist. The first in this trilogy, Sea of Poppies, was quite magnificient and was shortlisted for the Booker. I admit, I don't know if the second book will be as good, but one does hope.
8kidzdoc
Oh yes, good point about River of Smoke. That was certainly mentioned as a possible title for the longlist, so I'll include it in the miscellaneous list I posted in message #1. I have it, and will read it either next week or sometime in October. I don't remember reading any reviews of it, but I'm also hopeful that it's as good as Sea of Poppies, which I also loved.
9Cait86
I'm reading Gillespie and I right now, and absolutely loving it. It is definitely better than any of the longlisted books, even The Sense of an Ending, which I loved. The narrator is quite funny, and the slow unraveling of the plot is perfectly paced. If it holds up, it will definitely be a 5 star read for me, and probably my best book of the year.
10kidzdoc
I'm glad to hear that about Gillespie and I, Cait. I may decide to bring it with me on my upcoming vacation; otherwise I'll plan to read it in November.
I did read River of Smoke last week, and it was much better than the majority of this year's longlisted and shortlisted books.
I did read River of Smoke last week, and it was much better than the majority of this year's longlisted and shortlisted books.
11kiwidoc
Interesting, Cait, about Gillespie and I. I read The Observations a while ago and thought it was good - I think that was the first book she wrote? I have picked it up several times - maybe my next read now.
Anyone read The Cat's Table?
Anyone read The Cat's Table?
12kidzdoc
>11 kiwidoc: Anyone read The Cat's Table?
I have, and I enjoyed it; my review is here. It's another book that should have easily made the longlist ahead of the most of the current lot.
I have, and I enjoyed it; my review is here. It's another book that should have easily made the longlist ahead of the most of the current lot.
13bostonbibliophile
I'm in the middle of River of Smoke at the moment and it's just wonderful. Every bit as good as Sea of Poppies!
14Cait86
>11 kiwidoc: - It's my next book!
15vancouverdeb
I've read and reviewed The Cat's Table. It was a take it or leave it sort of a book for me. Nothing special. Of course everyone has their own opinion.
16brenpike
>11 kiwidoc: I completed The Cat's Table today . . . I really liked it!
In fact, I liked it better than most of the shortlisted books I read.
In fact, I liked it better than most of the shortlisted books I read.
17kidzdoc
>16 brenpike: I agree. I would have placed it third on the shortlist, just after The Sense of an Ending and The Stranger's Child.
18vancouverdeb
Interesting remarks about Observations and Gillespie and I . I just purchased both books and plan to read them in the next short while. Glad to hear that they are well done.
19kiwidoc
I did borrow Gillespie and Ifrom the library - I thought it a well-written, good fun read but not booker worthy.
