The Man Booker International Prize 2011 finalists were announced yesterday. It’s more of a “lifetime” achievement award, so no real dark horses to send us all scurrying to Wikipedia for bios and bibliographies. The general consensus is that it’s a good list, – one likely to give the three judges some sleepless nights between now and May 18th.
- Wang Anvi (China)
- Juan Goytisolo (Spain)
- James Kelman (Scotland)
- John le Carré (Great Britain)
- Amin Maalouf (Lebanon)
- David Malouf (Australia)
- Dacia Maraini (Italy)
- Rohinton Mistry (India/currently living in Canada)
- Philip Pullman (Great Britain)
- Marilynne Summers Robinson (U.S.A.)
- Philip Roth (U.S.A.)
- Su Tong (China)
- Anne Tyler (U.S.A.)
It looks a bit like the World Cup, except that the U.S. might actually have a shot this year of taking it home. Especially since John le Carré has informed the judges that he doesn’t “compete”. It didn’t do him much good, the powers that be refused to accept his non-acceptance. Still, it’s made his name the most buzz-worthy on the list for now.
But it’s still anybody’s game, folks. At the time I am typing up this post, William Morris (that noble British institution) has yet to post the odds. So…quickly… who would you be willing to put money on? I’ll even allow for write-ins.
READER AT LARGE 
I like the presence of two Chinese authors. I always feel like China is vastly underrepresented in literature (or perhaps only my own personal reading…?). And is it wrong of me to want Philip Pullman to win, if only for The Golden Compass?
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Hi Biblibio, I am sure a lot of people are rooting for Pullman for just that reason (so by all means – add your vote!). To be honest, I can’t recall anything he’s written outside of that series.
I was happy to see Chinese authors represented as well, though I would have liked to have seen other Asian & Middle Eastern countries. I believe one of the requirements for nomination is that the author’s work be available in English. So including multiple American, British and I believe there was an Australian (sorry. I don’t have the list in front of me) seems counterintuitive. Of course, that’s not stopping me from cheering on Roth!
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