Nina Bawden, The Birds on the Trees
JG Farrell, Troubles
Shirley Hazzard, The Bay of Noon
Mary Renault, Fire From Heaven
Muriel Spark, The Driver's Seat
Patrick White, The Vivisector
You can read an article all about it in the Guardian, if you like. This article focuses on Muriel Spark as two-time nominee. But what about Patrick White, who nobly stepped down in 1979? J G Farrell is a previous Booker winner for The Siege of Krishnapur (1973), Nina Bawden was nominated for Circles of Deceit (1987), Shirley Hazzard was longlisted for The Great Fire (2004). Only Mary Renault has never before been recognised by the award - but, speaking for myself, hers is the novel I'm possibly most excited to read. (It's all about Alexander the Great's early years. Guaranteed to be exciting & who doesn't love a bit of historical fiction?)
If I were a bookie, I'd say they all have form. Do you think we should lay odds? Or is that - maybe - not really in the spirit of the thing?
Any thoughts on the shortlist? Excited? Disappointed? Outraged? ... Indifferent?
