Booker Prize 2019 the Official Shortlist
So who made the cut? How well did our predictions go? Are we reading Ducks?
Here are the books that made the Shortlist:
Margaret Atwood (Canada), The Testaments (Vintage, Chatto & Windus)
Lucy Ellmann (USA/UK), Ducks, Newburyport (Galley Beggar Press)
Bernardine Evaristo (UK), Girl, Woman, Other (Hamish Hamilton)
Chigozie Obioma (Nigeria), An Orchestra of Minorities (Little Brown)
Salman Rushdie (UK/India), Quichotte (Jonathan Cape)
Elif Shafak (UK/Turkey), 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World (Viking)
All of the panel with the exception of Anita (who managed to predict 2 books) predicted 3 books so not a bad year as far as that goes.
Personally I (Book Worm) am most excited about The Testaments I have this on pre-order ready for release day which here in the UK is next Tuesday. I am dreading having to finish reading Ducks, Newburyport but at 40% I have a head start over most of the other panellists.
What are your thoughts on the list? Did the judges get it right? What book are you most excited for?
jenp27
Nicole Del Sesto
The Reader's Room 
How is it possible that of the long listed books I’ve so far managed to finish, heck start, did not make the list? And by so many, I mean all. I’ve read in full three and am partway through Lost Children and none of those are on the list. I do have Orchestra out from the library currently. Hopefully I can renew it because it’s due tomorrow.
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Guess I need to stick to picking the longlist, lol, where I picked six. This was a fiasco. Not only did I fail to pick correctly, but I failed to read the shortlist. I read ONE. One measly book. Oh and 1% of a second. How abysmal. My plan is to read the Testaments. I’m #6 for four copies the library is buying so fingers crossed I might not have to purchase it. I will read 10 Minutes which I have and will make a second run at Ducks (committing to read 10% this time to see if I can get more into the rhythm).
Therefore, my theory is that Orchestra or Quichotte will win since I have no plans to read those before the announcement.
What I’m really sad about is that Lanny and Night Boat — both of which I haven’t yet read – – didn’t make the list. I was so sure one of them would and was looking forward to those.
All the books I didn’t want to read are on there.
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I don’t think you would have loved Lanny. (Magical Realism) … I could be wrong. Night Boat you should read. I can’t stop thinking about it. I miss it. So good.
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No Levy??? I’m brokenhearted. That was the best book on the list! I’m not surprised at any of these, but they’re going to make the winner really hard to predict.
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I had a sick feeling Minorities was going to make the list. 10 Minutes was drek. I just can’t even with these people. Both the Levy and the Barry ran rings around these other books. Clearly judge bias made a huge impact.
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I deliberately didn’t predict Ducks in the vain hope that by not acknowledging it, it wouldn’t make the list. I was wrong. I am really not looking forward to finishing it but I would love to know why those who love it love it if that is you please explain to me…
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I really loved Quichotte: https://wordsandpeace.com/2019/09/19/book-review-quichotte/
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