Since 1969, the hugely influential and prestigious Booker Prize has been awarded annually to a novel of any genre published in the UK or Ireland. This year, the panel of five judges chose from 163 submissions and recently announced their shortlist of six exciting titles:
The End of Everything – M John Harrison
Harrison, who judged this very prize in 2022, is no stranger to critical acclaim and prestigious literary awards, having won recognitions including the Goldsmiths Prize and Philip K Dick Award. The End of Everything is his eleventh novel, a humorous and impactful post-apocalyptic story that tackles important questions about the climate crisis and artificial intelligence.
The Disappearers – Marlon James
Multi-award-winning Caribbean author Marlon James already won the Booker Prize in 2015, but he’s back in the running this year with a novel about the queer Jamaican experience that tackles both the immense loss of the AIDS epidemic and the great joy of the “golden era of Jamaican reggae and dancehall.”
Black Bag – Luke Kennard
Following a desperate actor who takes a job attending university lectures as a black bag, the author’s third novel has been lauded as an astute exploration of hot-button topics like masculinity and academia. Kennard has earned critical praise for his large body of poetic work, and is currently a professor at the University of Birmingham.
May We Feed the King – Rebecca Perry
May We Feed the King has already won a prize from Waterstones for debut author Rebecca Perry. The novel swaps between the perspective of present-day curator and a historical king, and was described by the judges as an “artful puzzle-box” that addresses the complexities of historical narratives.
The Things We Never Say – Elizabeth Strout
Following a teacher from the Massachusetts Bay Area as he navigates grief, betrayal, and political turmoil, prolific author and Pulitzer Prize-winner Elizabeth Strout’s latest release is described by the judges as “a calm antidote to contemporary events”. Strout was longlisted for the prize in 2016 and shortlisted in 2022 — will the third time be the charm?
John of John – Douglas Stuart
Stuart’s latest novel considers themes of Scottish life and queer identity that he’s known for, but with a slightly more hopeful tone than his devastating 2022 Booker winner Shuggie Bain. The judges described John of John as both “devastating” and “joyous,” and praised the Glaswegian author’s “keen, imagistic eye.”
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash.
