LONDON (AP) 鈥� Novels from Ireland, the United States, sa国际传媒 and Britain that explore families, communities and a world in crisis make up the six finalists for the prestigious for fiction.
The shortlist announced Thursday for the 50,000 pound ($61,000) award includes Canadian author Sarah Bernstein鈥檚 absurdist allegory 鈥淪tudy for Obedience鈥�; U.S. writer Jonathan Escoffery鈥檚 鈥淚f I Survive You,鈥� a set of interlinked stories about a Jamaican family in Miami, and Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist Paul Harding鈥檚 historical novel 鈥淭his Other Eden,鈥� based on a real interracial island community in the 19th century.
Two Irish writers are on the shortlist: Paul Lynch, for post-democratic dystopia 鈥淧rophet Song,鈥� and Paul Murray, for tragicomic family saga 鈥淭he Bee Sting.鈥� The finalists are rounded out by British writer Chetna Maroo鈥檚 鈥淲estern Lane,鈥� the story of a young athlete grappling with a family tragedy.
Canadian writer Esi Edugyan, who chairs the judging panel, said the books contain 鈥渢errors,鈥� but also 鈥減leasures, sorrows, joys, consolations.鈥�
They also reflect a world that鈥檚 pretty bleak, noted a fellow judge, Shakespeare scholar James Shapiro.
鈥淲e read quite a few COVID novels, we read quite a few dystopian novels, we read quite a few dark novels," Shapiro said. 鈥淪ome of the excellent novels seemed to reflect the grim times in which I certainly feel we live.鈥�
鈥淲e turn to creative writers to see more deeply into the crises that we face,鈥� he added.
The judging panel of Edugyan, Shapiro, actor-director Adjoa Andoh, poet Mary Jean Chan and actor-comedian Robert Webb read 163 novels to come up with a group of finalists that is strong on new voices. 鈥淚f I Survive You鈥� and 鈥淲estern Lane鈥� are both first novels. The best-known authors among , Ireland鈥檚 Sebastian Barry and Malaysia鈥檚 Tan Twan Eng, did not make the cut.
Booker organizers said all the authors have won acclaim and prizes, even if they are not household names.
鈥淭hey are not unknown authors,鈥� said Gaby Wood, chief executive of the Booker Prize Foundation. 鈥淭hey are just unknown to the Booker.鈥�
The six authors include two women and four men 鈥� three of them, by chance, named Paul. There have been two previous winners with that first name: Paul Scott in 1977 and Paul Beatty in 2016.
This year鈥檚 winner will be announced Nov. 26 at a ceremony in London.
Founded in 1969, the Booker Prize is open to novels from any country published in the U.K. and Ireland. Last year鈥檚 winner was for 鈥淭he Seven Moons of Maali Almeida,鈥� a satirical 鈥渁fterlife noir鈥� set during Sri Lanka鈥檚 brutal civil war.
Jill Lawless, The Associated Press
