getting closer

Thursday, September 14, 2006 at 4:55 PM BST

So, the Booker 2006 shortlist has just been announced. The titles selected are -

o The Inheritance of Loss - Kiran Desai
o The Secret River - Kate Grenville
o Carry Me Down - M. J. Hyland
o In the Country of Men - Hisham Matar
o Mother’s Milk - Edward St. Aubyn
o The Night Watch - Sarah Waters

Two I have read, the St. Aubyn and the Waters - the latter of which I do not think deserves a place on the shortlist. And I am currently reading the Hyland, which looks promising so far.

Not content with spending the month between now and the prize announcement having only read half of the shortlist I have just ordered another couple of titles - the Matar and the Grenville. The Desai is too expensive and will have to stay unread and unreviewed.