The Booker Prize, Man (1 Viewer)

[ICUH8N]

Were you watching the coverage when that bookmaker said "Right initials, wrong writer."?

Prick.

Yeah, I feel terrible about the fact that they presumably lost a load of money, seeing as how Banville was an outsider to win.

[chortle placeholder]

 

[snakybus]

Lots of people are sour about it. Tibor Fischer in the Guardian:

"I reviewed The Sea three months ago, and I'm afraid I can't remember anything about it, apart from the fact that it was set by the sea and that I was impressed by the vocabulary. It's a nebulous, oversubtle choice for the folks in Hampstead, rather than the general reader."

Ha ha, imagine admitting you can't remember something you read a couple of months ago. I'm so glad Banville won.

 

[Bellatrix]

"It's a nebulous, oversubtle choice for the folks in Hampstead, rather than the general reader."

General reader? Sounds like someone who moves their grubby fingers under the lines while phonetically honking each word aloud.

Don't know which of the books would have been "general reader" material, apart from the Zadie Smith which, as pointed out by various Thumped heads, fell spectacularly apart half way through:

Obese black mama stereotype: It don' make no sense that we done got hitched now does it suga'? Now I gon' kick yo puny white ass to the kerb. Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh!

Middle-aged white academic stereotype: No it doesn't, does it. For you are in touch with the earth and with the soul of all mankind, whereas I am uncomfortable when confronted with anything other than ideology. Now where can I get me ride?

 

[ICUH8N]

A more positive opinion in the Guardian. Also looks like other than Ishiguro, nobody else was even at the races.

The Sea reminded me a lot of WG Sebald (<3<3<3) by the way. Lots about the nature of memory. Anyone else get that impression?
http://books.guardian.co.uk/bookerprize2005/story/0,16347,1589284,00.html?gusrc=rss

 

[Audiodelic]

I think it was a deserved win, though I would have been equally ok with Ishiguro scooping the prize. If you think Tibor Fischer was bitter, check out Boyd Tonkin in the English Independent. He's not a happy bunny.

As for Irish writers, Roddy Doyle and Iris Murdoch have previously won, although in a Barry McGuigan stylee, the English always claim Murdoch as one of their own.

In fact, from now on, I'll only refer to her as Irish Murdoch.

 

[krystal]

saw you on the telly yesterday, miss!

I think it was a deserved win, though I would have been equally ok with Ishiguro scooping the prize. If you think Tibor Fischer was bitter, check out Boyd Tonkin in the English Independent. He's not a happy bunny.

As for Irish writers, Roddy Doyle and Iris Murdoch have previously won, although in a Barry McGuigan stylee, the English always claim Murdoch as one of their own.

In fact, from now on, I'll only refer to her as Irish Murdoch.

 

[krystal]

ha ha, precisely!

Obese black mama stereotype: It don' make no sense that we done got hitched now does it suga'? Now I gon' kick yo puny white ass to the kerb. Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh!

Middle-aged white academic stereotype: No it doesn't, does it. For you are in touch with the earth and with the soul of all mankind, whereas I am uncomfortable when confronted with anything other than ideology. Now where can I get me ride?

 

[Psychotic no 2]

"I reviewed The Sea three months ago, and I'm afraid I can't remember anything about it, apart from the fact that it was set by the sea and that I was impressed by the vocabulary. It's a nebulous, oversubtle choice for the folks in Hampstead, rather than the general reader."

Jaysis, talk about making yourself sound dense and crass. Poor fucker.

 

[Audiodelic]

saw you on the telly yesterday, miss!

Oh no - my TV alter ego cover is blown! It's mad though. Can't get used to the make-up. "Would you like orange or oompah loompah miss?"

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

i see sebastian barry is on the list this year, with his new book. anyone read it? I though the Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty was one of the best books i've read, Annie Dunne wasnt so great but not bad and A Long Long Way was mixed - thought i was reading a Kevin Myers novel for the first half and started to dislike it but by the end I was won over and deeply moved by it. havent read this new one yet though

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

What about Laszlo Krasznahorkai? I've only read The Melancholy of Resistance and wasn't mad about it. It reminded me a bit of Patrick McCabe or Tom Waits but nowhere near as bad. Still, I'm a bit skeptical especially after he turned up in The Turin Horse. I was thinking of trying Seiobo There Below but I dunno.

 

[Lili Marlene]

I want to contribute @Shaney but I am clueless to these people.

@St. Fechin might know something?

 

[Cormcolash]

Mad Max Fury Road to win the Booker prize

 

[Jim Daniels]

Anybody read it?

Man Booker Prize 2015: Marlon James wins for A Brief History of Seven Killings - BBC News

 

[Lili Marlene]

nah, sure I haven't even read the Luminaries yet.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

Haven’t read a booker prize winning book since Banville’s The Sea

 

[pete]

Haven’t read a booker prize winning book since Banville’s The Sea

Did you get into it?

 

[David Kronenbourg]

Did you get into it?

Yeah, I'm a big Banville fan. Can't say any of the other winners I've read about appealed to me. I read Vernon God Little and The Life of Pi before that. Both meh. Read a few short listed books that didn’t win over the years and they were a real mixed bag.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

Did you get into it?

Ha. just got that. nice

 

[Jim Daniels]

nah, sure I haven't even read the Luminaries yet.

Likewise. It's been sitting on my shelf all year - lookin at me with its beautiful blue phases of the moon