The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is awarded each year for the best novel in the English language by a writer from the Commonwealth of Nations—a group of nations consisting of the UK together with states that were previously part of the British Empire.
Each year when deciding to buy the winning book, or maybe another one or two from the shortlist, I realise how thin the dividing line is between "judgement" and "taste". The judging panel's decision is not often unanimous. The differing opinions would therefore indicate a strong admixture of taste, as one would assume that selection of the panel's members is based on their technical competence as literary critics.
I consider myself fairly competent in assessing a book's quality—taking into account the strength and depth of the characters, the dialogue, the plot's predictability, and the like. But it is my taste that ultimately has the strongest say in my evaluation. Over the years I liked the panel's choice of: Thomas Keneally, Schindler's Ark; Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day; Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient; Roddy Doyle, Paddy Clark Ha Ha Ha; Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things; Peter Carey, True History of the Kelly Gang; Yann Martel, Life of Pi; DBC Pierre, Vernon God Little; Aravind Adiga, The White Tiger; and Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall.
Of the 2011 shortlist I am reading the winner Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending, and Patrick Dewitt, The Sisters Brothers. I looked at Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan but put it back on the shelf as I didn't like the dialogue. Am waiting for Stephen Kelman, Pigeon English.
This year it looks like I will not agree with the choice of the judges. I have a feeling that my choice would have been Pigeon English, but of course I haven't read it yet.
Did you read last year's winner, the finkler question? I did and i was rather disappointed. I've really enjoyed the previous man booker winners but this one was just blah. It's hundreds of pages of contemplating jewishness, which to me personally is a very uninteresting topic. It covers traditional jews, ashamed ones, angry ones, non jews wanting to become jews, violence against jews, etc etc etc. But like i said, not interesting to me, maybe others would very much enjoy it. Topic aside the writing style is funny and eloquent, which is why i forced myself to read it all. But i guess the fact that i had to force myself says enough.
ReplyDeleteAm reading a dutch book now, first time in 11 years! Getallen zijn je beste vrienden. Numbers are your best friends. Yeah, its a nerdy math book. Ok so far, funny interesting facts, also boring theoretical stuff that i skim through. Simultaneously reading a sort of philosophy for dummies book, heidegger and a hippo walk through those pearly gates. Sequel to plato and a platypus walk into a bar. A fun, light, joke- filled book.
No, I didn't read it, I looked at it and put it back on the shelf. Too many times I found that the panel's choice did not match my taste, or judgement if you like.
ReplyDeletePhilosophy for Dummies sounds fun. Something like Napoleon's Privates, 2500 years of history unzipped, Tony Perrottet.