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I also thought of Louise Erdrith but she was shortlisted for the Women's and won the Pulitzer.

#bookerseasonbaby

oh, please individual reviews or small batches - I don't want to wait!

I'm excited about the list. I was also able to avoid spoilers, mainly due to a severe reading slump, but im using the longlist as a comeback. I'm starting with, "My Friends," and am enjoying it.

Your videos are amazing!!!! I love them all.

just found this channel, the way you describe the books is truly spectacular and really speaks your passion for reading, makes me want to get all those books now! can't wait to watch more from you :)

I wouldn't judge the length of time to read a book only by page count. It's one metric to be considered, but not everything. Tying in to what people read or in my view should read I think you need to consider the difficulty of the book. Is it a difficult subject, unfamiliar or does it cover provocative issues relating to government, politics, philosophy, science etc.? If you're reading about biological sciences, physics, chemistry or mathematics the terms, ideas, concepts can be quite unfamiliar or tricky to navigate even if the page count is relatively low. (Let's not assume everyone is always reading fiction) When you're reading a book that deals with history, politics, social issues does it challenge your world view? A good book doesn't necessarily need to convince you that your world view, political ideas or religious or spiritual philosophies are wrong and the author's are right. But at the end of your experience you should have questioned how you came to your positions, whether you can still support them or how you reconcile them with the ideas put forward or your own internal contradictions. In short you'll change your mind or be more self aware. If you get to your book counts by sticking a hot knife in warm butter have you really accomplished anything?

So many books and so little time. Best wishes with what you choose to read. I hope you get some great stories.

Wandering Stars will make a lot more sense having read There There, as it follows the same characters.

As a Dutchie I have mixed feelings about the nomination of Yael vd Wouden; I fear it might stimulate more Dutch writers to write in English instead of Dutch, because of the larger reach. English isn’t an official language in the Netherlands and I think we should cherish the literary traditions of smaller languages (and the important work of literary translators!). It also seems a bit odd to read a Dutch translation (by two Dutch translators) of a novel written by a Dutch author whose mother tongue (I presume) is Dutch and/or Hebrew; I tried to find an interview where she explains her choice, but no luck yet (I wonder if she might have been raised bilingual English/Dutch).

‘Tis the season! I really like what you said about it being an emotional and intellectual reaction of 5 people to 150 books- so spot on, and I always try to keep that in mind when the longlist doesn’t tally with my choices. Also, your formula is getting dangerously close to being perfect 😂

Huh, it seems the Booker Prize has lost me. The booker prize sticker used to be a motivation to pick up a book for me. But honestly not interested in any of these.

See - another made for TV video!! Thanks for such great summaries, I feel like I'm getting to grips with the list now. Seems like a good list. Not going to try and read them all, so not sure what I'll try. Batch reviews is good as then it can influence what people pick up next before the announcements, but a final ranking before short list and winner is also fun.

I was really surprised by the lack of African books on the list.

Ben your content and eloquence are top shelf! My favorite booktuber by a mile. I’m looking forward to seeing any booker content - but I quite enjoyed the format you used last year. Happy reading! ❤

Thanks, Ben!🌷Right now I know I’ll be reading Orbital, My Friends and Playground (and while waiting for it, Bewilderment). Possibly also The Safekeep, which got very good reviews also here in the Netherlands. By the way, the Dutch translation was not made by the author, so, if I decide to read The Safekeep, I’ll read it in English. I like to watch booktubers’ reviews before deciding whether I want to read more. So, reviews in batches would be great!😊📚

I am currently reading There There by Tommy Orange. Based on that I will definitely read Wandering Stars.

Great video Ben! I am currently reading James and loving it. I also have Playground on hold at my library. I wasn’t even aware that Richard Powers wrote another book until I saw the long list. I hope to read more of these books.

I'm not a fan of Richard Powers, but that cover of Playground is gorgeous!! The regular one is awful tbh

I'm coming around to it. It's not that I'm not excited about reading them - because I am - but I always look forward to learning about an author I 've not known previously and that didn't happen this year. In fact, I already owned 9 of the books, and obviously 2 of the 4 I didn't own aren't yet. I bought Wandering Stars and I'm hoping to get my hands on Stone Yard Devotional next week in London. That I could get most of these at the local Barnes & Noble here in suburbia means it's a lot more commercial than it was last year, and maybe that's okay. I'm really looking forward to the Kushner book. Spy/espionage books are a guilty pleasure of mine. So exciting!!

Loved this video format, thanks Ben! Please review as you go, I can’t wait until November to hear your opinions on them all. I really like the list, read 3 already and looking forward to the next 10!

Congrats on winning the ARC of Playground. I enter the giveaways on Good Reads all the time, but have yet to win one. It's a matter of time and odds, innit? 🙂

This year we actually get 4 former shortlistee, I think you missed Hisham Matar. Really interesting analysis. Love this format ❤

So impressed with the analysis you've put into the history of the longlist! I'm currently reading This Strange Eventful History and while I am enjoying it, I am finding the writing a bit hard to get into. Messud will never use a period where a comma will do. For me its an example of the writing getting in the way of interesting characters and rich settings. Very intrigued by this list and looking forward to all the booker content to come!

I thoroughly enjoy the intersection between books and data. 👌🏽 Well done 👏🏼

Gr8 vid, as always! I got 3 correct in my personal predictions list: James, My Friends and Orbital, which is typical for me! - but 12 out of the 13 were on my Goodreads Listopia somewhere - all but the Woods, which I don't think was on anyone's radar; but only three in the top 13 (the same 3). Haven't read any yet, but have copies of all but the Powers - and since I DO have an ARC of the Kushner, have started there - so far, it's good! Will strive for all 13 (as I said previously, for the 11th year in a row!) Do the vids however feels right for you - I'll be watching regardless! Cheers!

Love the formula check-up 🙌🥰 Absolutely an interesting list! And def worth recognising - as you did - how it’s judges’ tastes and how some books will always feel to some (if not many) as missing out or being overlooked. Very excited to hear your thoughts as we go 🕺

playground is so pretty! Love that, and this video, well done Ben. You always have such a good balance of providing information and keeping it just the right amount of light and fun. I would love reviews in batches!

I’ve read three Stone Yard Devotional is good Orbital is ok Enlightenment is disappointing I’ve now downloaded copies (?audio) of My Friends Wild Houses James Annoyed by the Booker including books that will not be published by the time the shortlist is announced.

I have predicted 4, woo hoo!!! I am really sad about the leaks, it makes it much less fun :( I have only read Enlightenment (which I was secretly hoping would be on it but did not put it on my final list). Sarah Perry absolutely writes literary fiction :) I think Enlightenment will be quite a marmite book. I admired it a lot, only found it hard to get into at first and wasn't blown away by the ending. Still, it was great and I'm very happy she's getting the recognition she deserves! 💫 I've also met her once on an event in Poland and she was just the coolest and nicest person ever. 🤗 Anyway. I've ordered Charlotte Wood and will see what else I might get to. I am not too happy with the US being included in the Booker personally 😇

It's a pretty conservative list, but I did enjoy those I've read. Of the other seven I need to read I could only find one in the bookshop today. I'm hoping that in a couple of weeks there will be more available. It took me a couple of months to read Praiseworthy, and I'm not sure it was worth it. I felt obliged as an Aussie but Alexis Wright doesn't really work for me. I'd be looking towards the Nobel Prize for her.

You've beautifully articulated my thoughts on America being invited to the Booker party and I also agree with the point about meeting quotas. Having two books not published until September is frustrating, but I'm looking forward to reading them. I've read Enlightenment and I would classify it as literary fiction. There's an interview with Sarah Perry about it on the Waterstones podcast FYI.

this longlist has been such a slow burn for me, I wasn’t bothered at first but now I’m curious as hell. have got library holds on Held and Wild Houses, also thought I’d grab There There to see if I get on with Tommy Orange’s writing style before picking up Wandering Stars. given my sloth approach to reading this year I think I’ll wait for the reviews to start coming in before I decide on the rest, so thank you in advance for your service x

Very fair reaction. I’m just finishing James now - it’s a great achievement. For me the issue with having the US in the prize is that so many books come from there that they are bound to make up a significant portion of the list. It always seems that this leads to there being far fewer books from other commonwealth countries compared to the years before the US joined the Booker party, particularly from Africa and South Asia. But this exclusion might occur at the stage where publishers decide which books to submit rather than with the choice of the judges.

A formula for success! I think the list seems really interesting - I've only read Stoneyard so far and really liked it. Will be reading Orbital next. I like the idea of a first lines review :-)

Happy Booker Season Baby 😆.Yes please to first line rankings. I’m currently reading Held- a bit overwrought for my taste, but it’s taken an intriguing turn 25% in. Seeing how long I have to wait for all my library holds.

Excellent enjoyable reaction video. I'm also bored by the argument around US books being on the longlist - there's a whiff of snobishness when people say they want the prize to be like before. Like you, I just want to read good books wherever they're from.

You cracked it with your formula Ben. I think you are right that Headahot would have been a surprise if it hadn’t leaked. Lets starts reading them and hopefully finding some new faves 📚❤️

I loved your first lines ranking video…fun and different.

I like the list a lot. You were so right, I was OVERJOYED for Charlotte. There are quite a few that I really want to get to, The Safekeep and Enlightenment (woohoo!) in particular, so that is exciting. That said would like more diversity in the authors. I was really sad about the leaks, I feel like it took the fun out of it for a lot of people and guessing, that might just be me though. Love your formula, thought that was fab when you did your predictions.

I think My Friends may top James, but I do love both. I've only read 4 so far and only correctly predicted 3. Last time I think I'll say it, but I'm anticipating that Praiseworthy is better than all, including Stoneyard Devotional. It would have won if it had been included and I while the books on the list are probably very good, I don't regard The Booker as selecting the best books anymore. It's just a subjective pick by the current judges. This years judges probably just aren't into long books. Anyway, I'll read what I can on the longlist. Held will probably be next for me. I loved Fugitive Pieces, so I'm anticipating I'll like it. PS Simon is a huge fan of Charlotte Wood's too.

'leekier' LOL

Great wrap up! Now on to the reading!

Reading now.. have always loved trees and am astounded by this ode to trees!

Yes Australian readers are rejoicing! 😊 I too thought of Simon when it was announced. 😊

this year's list feels like a "correction" to last year's list, by which I mean the "big-name retelling of a classic that everyone was expecting to make the cut" ACTUALLY did this year lol. last year was my first "booker" season so I expected more curveballs this year. the surprise for me was having read 6 of these novels already! i'm about 40% through Stone Yard Devotional, and it's giving me Study for Obedience vibes so far, with the outsider perspective and aforementioned "spooky shit" (though I find Devotional to be more apparently funny). Just finished Wild Houses and was a bit underwhelmed; I think all the blurbs overhype the "thriller" aspect of it when it's really more a slow-burning character study. NEED THE NEW RICHARD POWERS SO BAD!!!!

Predicted a best-ever 4! That'll never happen again, but I'll gladly take it. Great longlist, and after last year's nonsense, this was a make-it-or-break-it for me. I think I've been reeled in to another Booker season! Cheers!

Great reaction video Ben and well done on your prediction formula!! Very impressive. I am delighted with this longlist. I think it’s got a terrific range of books on it. Sarah Perry does not write commercial fiction! Enlightenment is literary and I thought The Essex Serpent was as well. I am a big Charlotte Wood fan and am so please for her to get some Booker love. I’ve read six (James and My Friends are stand outs) and am hoping to get through the other 7 before the shortlist (I also feel lucky to have a proof copy of Playground). I’m starting with Headshot. Looking forward to seeing how you get on.

Richard Powers is my favorite contemporary writer. I’m glad to see his latest on the list and I’m looking forward to reading it.