Note: I've heard from the Booker Prize who assure me that a book being described as "too gay" or similar would never be allowed in a judges meeting and books are solely judged on literary merit. I feel that they're being sincere in this. It'd be interesting to see the full transcript of the conversation the journalist had with the former Booker judge to get a better idea of the context, but the way that quote is presented in the article it felt like this was something openly discussed by the judges in a meeting.
I had the same issue when I read the otherwise highly enjoyable article. A very odd comment! This year is a return to form for me (after my annoyance at there being two winners in 2019) and I've really engaged with the whole longlist.
Thanks Eric. I will delete my comment to be fair as there isn’t enough information for that judgement I made to remain now you have received an additional response from the Booker Team
Well, i suppose that's what happens now, but it's well known that The folding star was too gay for some of the judges back then. Box Hill is very sexual in it's nature but it's very well written and it's way less explicit than i was expecting, but the heart of the novel is a relationship and a very sexual one, on the other hand Shuggie Bain has a main gay character but alcoholism, poverty and overcome the difficulties are the main themes, so it's quite easy to understand why people not too open minded felt more comfortable with Stuart's novel and not with Mars Jones ones (which is difficult to understand is being dumb enought to say it out loud)
Your small "r" rant is a good reminder that all art contests are inextricably tied to the prejudices of the times they take place in and the subjective experiences of the judges. But beyond that I really hope you are right and Richard Powers wins. Also I'm most excited to find out that Adam Mars-Jones is still writing. His novel Monopolies of Loss is a favorite book of mine.
Absolutely! And it'll be so exciting if Powers wins. Adam Mars-Jones actually had another short novel out this year as well. So he's suddenly become quite prolific!
I’m pausing after your Guardian/Booker thoughts to comment because this was really fascinating. I haven’t read the article but hearing your summary of it gave me a lot to think about. It really doesn’t surprise me that book prize judges would make such a comment about gay content in books. Every year, with almost every major award, I’m always surprised that certain gay books don’t get nominated or don’t make it to the shortlist. For me, this is simply representative of the homophobia we still have to put up with (though many people think we live in an equal society where these things don’t happen, I can tell from the abusive comments I get being from a very vocal champion of lgbtq literature on RU-vid that there are still so many people who don’t mind gay content, but as long as it’s not ‘too gay’ and really do I need to even talk about how gay it is!). I follow many book prizes like you do, and I think they give us great direction for finding good books, but I always try to remind myself that they’re just the opinions of individual people. I don’t think judges can be impartial and unaffected by the world around them, but i do think the prizes themselves have an obligation not to pick judges who are idiots. I see book prizes as a small part of my reading experience, but I know that outside my reading of prize shortlists I do need to seek out voices of writers who are being ignored by these judges, especially lgbtq voices. I find it really interesting how many prizes come up with the same books on their shortlists, I’ve often thought that this lulls us into a false sense that prizes must be unbiased and objectively choosing the best books, rather than perhaps it’s a problem with the same kind of people being chosen as judges, and the same publishers (who can afford the high entrance fees) choosing to publish the same kind of books. I have many thoughts, as you can see 🤣 so I’ll stop now and get on with watching the rest of your video.
Thanks Jen and you make so many good points. I'm sorry you receive nasty comments. You're right that many people are blind to these sorts of reactions (just as we all don't see the grief some people must endure because of aspects of their identity.) I've found it reassuring that the Booker prize reached out to me yesterday to assure me that such parochial comments were not made in meetings and wouldn't have been allowed. Even if there are some questionable views held by individual judges it's good to know that at least in principle the prize is strictly concerned with literary quality. But I'm sure these opinions play a part on some level so, as you say, it's good to remind ourselves prize winners come from individual opinions rather than absolute authority and the books put forward are privileged in a way some other books are not. It's what makes voices like yours and other great book tube channels all the more important. So I really appreciate what you do! 🤗📚
@@EricKarlAnderson I’m really glad to hear that the Booker reached out to respond to your comments. It’s so wonderful that you use your platform to speak out about important things, I love that so much about you. I think all prizes are doing better, and hope this continues in the future. I think we’re definitely on the right path at least ☺️
@@pegthebookprizeaddict579 Peg, darling, I sent you a Voxer message yesterday about this but also about other things so please check it when you have a moment😍
I really appreciate your "rant". I find it unbelievable that this judge even thought this was a valid point to state out loud to a journalist. They're supposed to judge a book on its literary value, not on whether it offends their buttoned-up sensibilities.
I’ve read the Guardian article twice. The “gay but not too gay” comment was an astonishment to come across for this prize in this day and age. It absolutely diminished that group of judges for me (just as the tie in 2019 did for that group of judges). I wonder whether the judge was speaking solely for him/herself or if it was a prevailing view. The former is certainly possible. In terms of this year’s Prize, I actually think it’s a super hard year to predict. My two favorites were the Lockwood and the Powers (your most and least favorites so go figure) but if I had to guess, I’d pick The Promise, which is my 3rd favorite, to be the winner.
Yes, such a bizarre thing for the judge say - and to a journalist! And you could be right that The Promise will take it. So difficult to call.
2 года назад
If I ever had doubts that the judges were not only not objective but also have questionable attitudes towards books & politics (which I didn't), the article removed the very last one of them...
I suspect there was a lot more discussion surrounding those quotes, but even taken out of context it doesn't speak well for how parochial opinions effect the judges' decisions. I've now had a discussion with the Booker Prize who assure me such views weren't expressed in the meetings last year and wouldn't have been permitted and that books are judged solely on literary merit. So it's comforting to know those standards are in place, at least.
2 года назад
@@EricKarlAnderson Its good that there are standards in place, of course, but that doesnt mean much if judges hold these opinions (even if they dont say so aloud). On the contrary, I feel the Booker is just ignoring the issue...
I've looked at the article and the reasoning of a book like Box Hill not being considered because its "unsuitable for recommending to friends and family". I mean....
Wow... But Shuggie Bain was palatable enough. I guess violence towards women, rape and child abuse are suitable for friends and family. Maybe we're just too used to seeing those things, so that's fine. 🙄
Unsuitable for recommending to friends and family? Did they forget that A Little Life, Hanya Yanagihara was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2015 and as much as I absolutely adored that novel (in the way that I can only adore something that emotionally wrecks me), there's not a chance in hell I'm recommending it to any of my friends and family. Not for the fact there's a gay relationship in it but rather for the fact it tears you apart and puts it back together. The fact that there's still this queer shyness (I don't know what to call it) when it comes to books with themes of gayness in it in 2021 is beyond ridiculous.
Yes! 😞 But I've had a discussion with the Booker Prize now who've assured me this wasn't discussed during the meetings so either it was a side conversation the judges had or they are views which have only come out in the open after the judging. At least it's comforting to know that such parochial opinions aren't permitted as part of the formal process.
@@EricKarlAnderson I can kind of see that comment being made in a number of different ways, but even if it was a wry joke it's a little bit less than smart to tell it to a journalist lol.
I have read the Booker dozen and I would vote for 'The Promise' this year. It is unlike anything I've read, in a great way. It engaged (although not always addressing head-on) fundamental human needs, truth and ethics, family and humanity, and their opposites, revealing quotidian heroism + fear and foibles (e.g., greed/excessive self-orientation). I surprised myself since I'm a Richard Powers fan: I loved Overstory, enjoyed and admired Bewilderment, and still frequently and vividly recall many images from his 2006 Echo Maker, especially the cranes! Kudos and gratitude to each and both of these authors and to all of those on both the long- and shortlists. Although 2020-2021 was a challenging year, it seems to have been a fine year for fiction. I enjoyed all 13 and I'm grateful!
Would a prize be described as “ heterosexual, but not too heterosexual ?” I think not. We get bombarded by heterosexual fiction with sexual content, but if it’s gay it’s got to be censored?!? I want to wear a T-shirt that says “ I’m too gay for the Booker prize!” You know already that my favourite was Great Circle. Bewilderment was a close second.The Promise is my 3rd choice.
Thank you so much for speaking out about the ‘too gay’ comment. I too enjoyed the rest of that article but was very concerned about that particular part. I am glad the Booker Prize people have responded to you with a helpful clarification. And I really enjoyed your scoring exercise. It feels like a very strong shortlist this year but I agree that Bewilderment is the stand out title and I really hope it wins.
I appreciated your conversation about the problematic judging. I also loved how you broke this down and how the math worked out. Going into this I was expecting the Promise to win your vote. I clearly need to read all of these :)
Decided to read the Booker shortlist this year which led me to your channel a few months ago 😊 Absolutely love your videos and you come across as so lovely and down to earth! Please keep doing what you do
I recently read the Guardian article and I was shocked at the "gay but not too gay" comment. I haven't actually read any of the books yet but I can't wait to read Bewilderment, especially.
The Promise is my winner!! I personally hated Bewilderment for many reasons, and flew through Great Circle (no pun) but don’t think about it too much several months later. The Promise is one of my favourite novels I’ve read all year & the writing is so spectacular!
I think “woah” was my reaction to the “gay but not too gay” comment but I’m glad to see that Booker reached out and said this isn’t something that would have been an issue- who knows -but I think it shows that the judging pool needs to be from as many backgrounds as possible so as many opinions as possible can be represented and ultimately it will be about the quality of the books and nothing else. 🤞
Yes, having a good mixture and diversity of judges I guess is key because I'm sure there are many personal values like this which influence judging decisions but which might not be said aloud in meetings.
This is all great and pleased to hear you're reaching out to interview authors. I guess it's going to be harder for a novel that is more 'stream of consciousness' to rate highly using this system. You do make these all quite hard to resist. Looking forward to the result. You're right to speak up about prejudicial factors, and in a way that is educational, that can separate aspects that are literary from aspects that come from a conditioned mindset. So often there is suspicion that those factors may have played into a decision, so calling it out can provoke a conversation and increase awareness and understanding.
Thank you, Claire! That's absolutely my intention for bringing it up - it also gave me a chance to shout out one of my favourite novels from last year: Rainbow Milk. 😉 Hope you're doing well!
Totally agree with your rant, and thank you so much for saying it. It’s ridiculous, and it’s frustrating to see how LGBTQ+ authors and themes are still politicised and othered like that. I really enjoyed Box Hill- I’m kind of angry now that it potentially lost out on a longlist spot because of that kind of thinking, especially as it’s a book that I think really explores some themes and perspectives that we don’t often get in fiction.
I've now had a discussion with the Booker Prize who assure me that parochial views aren't allowed in meetings and that books are judged solely on literary merit. So it's reassuring the prize has these standards (even if personal preferences probably hold more more sway in what books are selected than the judges openly admit.) Yeah, a listing on the prize would have encouraged so many more readers to give a novel like Box Hill a chance when they might not pick it up based solely on the description.
@@EricKarlAnderson thank you- that’s really encouraging to hear! I can imagine that the quote was something that wasn’t directly said in the meetings, but more an inference based on the kinds of discussions around books, but either way, it’s somewhat troubling. But the prize is not a monolith, so I guess a different set of judges would not necessarily have the same feeling. And yes- I agree! I’m really excited to get around to his new book, which has been sat on my shelf for a couple of months now!
Yay for Bewilderment! I loved this process and your thoughts on them. It’s one of the first years in a while where I’ll be pretty happy for any of them to win, but I think Bewilderment and The Promise might be frontrunners. That said, still also rooting for A Passage North (I’m just delighted it made the shortlist!)
Thanks! I kept thinking 'how can I liven up more discussion about the same books?' A chart! 😂 Yeah, other than Lockwood I'd be glad to see any book win. But even if that happens I won't throw a tantrum. 😅 #TeamAnuk 😄
The biggest weakness of The Promise is its structure -- each of the 4 narratives can stand on its own as a short story though reading it in order helps but is not required. Galgut seems to channeling Ann Enright's The Green Road or Faulkner's As I Lay Dying, and unfortunately for Galgut, Enright and Faulkner utilized this structure much more effectively.
My thoughts and assessments of the books align really closely with yours. Bewilderment was stunning. I felt physically overwhelmed by it at parts. I really, really hope it wins! (They are all good and any of them deserves to win, but I'm rooting for Bewilderment.)
What you discussed in your rant is why I don't trust prizes and maybe even why I sometimes don't like winning books. Something I'll have to think about. My hackles went up with the "gay, but not too gay" comment the judge made. I totally agree with your position.
“The Promise” is the better novel. Sorry to say that. I loved Richard Powers “The Overstory”. This one in comparison only felt 60% as powerful. I expected to be blown away. I was with his writing, but the story didn’t lift me the way I thought it would
I suspect many readers feel this way and I think Galgut's novel has a strong chance of winning. Of course, I wouldn't be disappointed if it does win. I think my feeling that "Bewilderment" has a stronger chance because it speaks more urgently about the world today and the future. I know "The Promise" also does this but is more overtly concerned with a specific period of history than the present.
Do you have children? Has an immediate family member died? I find people who have experienced neither are less taken by the book. Especially young people.
@@TK-kf8zc yes to both: I have known very profound grief and loss in my life. But to me, there are stronger books on the shortlist: Fortune Men, Promise. It’s very subjective, I am looking forward to seeing who wins next week!
@@EricKarlAnderson When trying to predict the Booker I always take a good hard look at the judges and try to intuit what book they'll like ... I sense that its between The Promise and Bewilderment and think at least two Judges will go for Bewilderment (Dr Williams and Natasha Mcheone) cos it's heavily in the zeitgeist while books about S Africa have been done many times before ...I think Chigozie Obioma.will go for The Promise for obvious reasons and suspect that a conservative writer like Horatia Harrod.will too , so that leaves Maya Jasanoff.as a potential tiebreaker and I have no idea what she will go for ... If I had to guess I'd say 55%% -45% in favour of Bewilderment... an important book for our times ?
Thank you for including this rant. I had no idea the judging of this could be so outdated in thought. Fun rubric idea though I don’t feel like including plot is all that fair when a book like passage north exists on this list. Plot isn’t the point of that novel. Since this is a literary award I’d like to see a category about each book’s success at exploring the human condition. Great video, cheers!
My winner was Great Circle but with Fortune Men being my no 2 🥰 This was such a fun thing to do along with you and really satisfies my geeky list ticker / organizer brain 🤓 The Guardian article (etc) is just awful 🙈 xxx
I hadn't read that article, but completely understand and agree with your rant about this. Even if it was an off-the-cuff, joking remark, it is entirely inappropriate and disappointing if a judge really said that. But I have no doubt that, whether subconscious, unconscious or not, there is an underlying 'political' consideration when it comes to book prizes, not just one based on literary merit. Too many 'ethnical' books (is one version I have heard a few years back) - as if we are not all ethnic in one way or another. Too gay, too working-class, too foreign (for translated fiction). That's why we need diverse judging panels and different ones every year.
Thank you so much for this video Eric and for the well placed rant. The Booker Prize is meant to be about the judgement of the books predominantly, not about judging humanity. The judges seem to be outdated in their thinking and biased in their judgement which really upsets me. Maybe newer and more fresh eyes and more updated outlooks are needed within the judging panel.
Excellent video and your rant is warranted. I didn't take to Bewilderment that much - I found it too on the nose, the astronomy/fantastical bits bore me, the kid was unbelievable, so ended up on 3*. I can't believe I'm saying that, but I prefer No One Is Talking About This. I've still the others to read. Promise is coming next. I'm only going to attempt the Great Circle if it wins.
I think that most judges in major literary prizes try to pick the best book on it’s literary merit, however we are all human and subject to both political and personal prejudices. I would hope that the former judge in The Guardian article was expressing a personal opinion, and not a viewpoint which was used by all Booker judges that year in choosing the best book. My favorite short listed book is Great Circle. I have seldom read a book where the author maintained such a high quality of writing on every page. I felt that all the characters were well presented, and wished that some had their own novels because their portrayals so compelling.
Thank you for your rant, I'm so disappointed that judges would feel that it is ok to actually say that. We know people still inherently have prejudices, including judges, but I'm even more concerned that they don't even see something wrong with that point of view. I'm really disappointed, even if not as surprised as I should me 😓
Hi! I agree about your rant. I don't think judges should put their personal beliefs and feelings into their decisions. I'm straight and don't really like reading any kind of explicit sex in my books, either straight or gay, but if I were a judge, that wouldn't even be an issue. They are there to judge on what the readers enjoy and the writing of the books. I totally agree with you. I enjoy your channel and watch every video you put up.
Gee, that's revolting. I don't care much about the Booker (specially after 2019), but I do enjoy following the discussions and videos about it. Thanks for bringing that article to light and talking about it!
Considering that Bewilderment is probably the most ''important'' book on the shortlist and chimes with the zeitgeist ; especially with the ongoing Climate conferance up in Glasgow , I'm predicting it will win
It would be like saying what is too heterosexual, it is inappropriate. It is hard finding someone to share your life with. I am just glad you are happy and not alone.
I haven't read any of these books - the one I want to read is Great Circle, which I do have a copy of on my Kindle. To be honest the other books didn't appeal to me - that is not to say they are not great books. I think Patricia Lockwood will win the prize - I just have a feeling.
I enjoyed “Bewilderment” very much, “A Passage North” not so much, although it did lead me on to reading, “This Divided Island” by Subramanian, which was excellent.
I won quite a bit on money betting on the booker back in 2014 , so much so that I got in my local newspaper GOOGLE Bookies beaten by Booker better | The Northern Echo
I would be interested to know if this exercise changed your mind on which book you thought should/will win the prize. Of the five I've read the Great Circle but you've sold me on reading several others. I stayed away from Bewilderment but maybe and Fortune Men for sure.
I loved Bewilderment, too - I think it's maybe a perfect novel. Would be pleased to see it win!! I also really enjoyed Great Circle but it doesn't seem like a Booker Winner to me.
So weird that they said that shuggie Bain was “not too gay” as a reason to choose it. I am wondering too now if girl woman other was black but not too black as well…
This straight granny says thanks for your thoughtfulness. I didn't know about the homophobic context which is sad in 2021,and not at all acceptable. It really makes me think less of the Booker Prize
I’m just hoping for A Passage North. I had an amazing experience reading that. I can’t evaluate the others because I haven’t read The Promise or Bewilderment and won’t have them until later. Talk about antiquated and disgusting thinking when evaluating books… how many books were pushed to the side because they let some gross homophobic and probably transphobic people qualify the books.
It'd be great to see a promising and smart writer like Anuk win so this would also be a wonderful result. And yeah, you have to wonder that. It's very concerning.
The Booker judges may be underestimating their audience. Are we really all that fragile? I am a straight female but I enjoy reading about the diversity of human experience. I have no problems with gay writing, and why should I? Who determines what is normative? If it's beautifully written then I'm on board. Now on to the prize list. I am gunning for Great Circle, and I put The Promise and Bewilderment at equal second if you like because they are cleverly written but they both bother me in some ways. The Fortune Men was fine, but just fine. I DNF'd A Passage North, I found it so boring despite the beautiful flow and I didn't really get along with No one is talking about this. Eric, I look forward to your video of the Booker Prize announcement with bow tie and glass of bubbly in hand!!
I've quoted this video and the "too gay" comment so many times to other bookstagrammers and book bloggers. Ironically, the last two years both authors who won are gay, and if Young Mungo wins this year, that will make it three in a row so screw any judge who has issues with writing being "too gay"!
Thanks, Eric but I couldn't agree with you less. Bewilderment is amazing at the beginning and then moves on to the story of a male Greta and became hysterical. Sorry, my opinion.
"Gay but not too gay"...so what? Gay enough for me to feel like I'm not being homophobic but not so gay my straightness comfortability isn't threatened? ...I was cautiously optimistic about the direction the Booker Prize was going from last year but I might have to take back all of that...
“Gay, but not too gay”?! Wow! Thank you for talking about this. It’s unacceptable. I have only read 2 of these so far- Great Circle and No One Is Talking About This. I will be reading Bewilderment this next weekend with Leo of A Little Book Life. I *really* didn’t get on with the Lockwood and will be nonplussed if it wins.
Thank you for the rant, which I totally agree with. I think though the original comment could have been an off-the-cuff post-decision shallow rationalisation by that particular judge rather than a specific judging criterion by the panel in advance (although still quite a disturbing insight into underlying attitudes). *Of course* the journalist would include that juicy comment in her piece. It was thoughtlessly insulting to Shuggie Bain, as you rightly point out - although that book does have disturbing sexual episodes in it. ‘The Line of Beauty’ has some very full-on sex scenes in it, so I think that book would also possibly fall in the “too gay” category of the quoted judge. Adam Mars Jones came to our book group and had some extremely interesting things to say about the Booker Prize, so I would be fascinated to hear what he thought of these particular comments. I think his ‘Pilcrow’ was a huge oversight by all the literary prizes; it’s absolutely brilliant. I’ve only read ‘Bewilderment’ and ‘The Promise’ this year, but am extremely interested in reading ‘Great Circle’ and ‘The Fortune Men’, and not so much intrigued by the other two, so my ‘scores’ seem to match overall with yours. I would vote for Bewilderment as it’s so committed to important contemporary issues and focussed on how we can make the future better - whilst The Promise is technically perfect and a very powerful novel (and would be a worthy winner), it’s focus on the decaying racial caste structures of South Africa make it slightly more limited in terms of immediate relevance to the contemporary global debate.
Yeah, I think there was much more context to these quotes but they are deeply concerning nonetheless. I've now had a discussion with the Booker who assure me that these views weren't expressed in any meetings and wouldn't have been allowed and books are judged solely on literary merit. So it's good to know that the intention and standards are there. And you're quite right about the content in Hollinghurst's novel. If it was published last year it'd be interesting to know how far it'd have got through with those judges. It's been good to see from the comments on this video that I've helped tip off some readers about Adam Mars Jones' writing and that they'll read it now. And your reasoning is definitely a big factor in why I think Bewilderment will win over The Promise since it speaks so much more directly about the world now and the future whereas Galgut's novel is more concerned with a specific period of history (while still having something much larger to say.)
I read an interesting article the other day about books and how before long books will be bland and lacking any content which may offend an odd one or two people. The article stated that book publishers are hiring 'woke' readers to pre read books to decide if they are suitable for publishing also if they need trigger warnings plastered all over the book. Now I get warnings for rape or murder though if you are reading crime fiction surely you are aware that those subjects may come up but when the article went on to say we could end up with a warning that there is gay or lesbian content in a book I got fed up and stopped reading. I was thinking back to something you said a few years ago when a white author wrote a book full of black characters and people were saying only blacks should write about blacks and vice versa. In that context does that mean a lesbian author is the only person qualified to write about lesbians etc?
But here is the irony: the POC are wondering why there is no more diversity in the writings of the white authors. There are now tips on how to include POC in one's books. It is ridiculous. These are such limitations to true creativity.
I'm sure the winner this year is going to be, "no one is talking about this" or "a passage north" as they seem the most tame and straightforward as well as being more modern as well. The rest of the books in the short list are challenging and require more deep reading so they may not make the cut. The Guardian article reminds me of a judge in an Indian talent show who used to cover their eyes while a stunt was performed then gave marks to the stunt performer. It seems amusingly tragic. If it were my choice, my pick would also be "bewilderment".
I have to say that I'm also offended by the line The Guardian used for his quote: "One judge wryly described their eventual winner, Shuggie Bain, as, by contrast, “gay, but not too gay”. "Wryly?" Does The Guardian think it was funny? I can't imagine how you kept your "rant" so calm, Eric.
Yeah, I think it says something in itself that this is an acceptable joking comment to make when if you'd replaced gay for other identity markers it would be instantly seen as offensive.
Following up on your rant abt someone calling a book “too gay”! Well, there’s way more stuff that’s too hetero, imo. All jokes aside, how is that any sort of criteria, and as of tat judge feels comfortable enough saying that! Wonder what the author of last year’s prize thinks of this. I like to follow book prizes and get behind a certain pick, and this chart is fun!
having heard this as someone who has been closely following the booker prize. I'm upset. Do you do end of year lists or a video for your own personal recommendations?
I dont payto much attention to race ,gender or orientation of authors. It has recently been noticed that many booktube announced they are reading black or women authors. I quit watching a b'tuber who every book she reviewed was about gay characters. It reminds me of "Some of my best friends ..."I watch to find books I might be interested in.
That comment is repugnant and I'm shocked that the Guardian included it with no response. Shame on Charlotte Higgins, who seems not to have noticed this was an offensive thing to say. Just insert any other minority in place of 'gay' and think about how that remark would read.
Agree with your feelings though, sadly, unsurprised by the homophobic comments of judges. These prizes are judged by human beings and the books selected and their winners reflect all of the narrow boundaries and judgements they draw in life. The prizes mean a lot to the writers (and I support that) but should not be the standard by which we measure great books of the year-so many extraordinary books about diverse experiences were published without notice and will never gain the recognition they deserve. We must champion that as much as the listed prize books who just skim the surface of original writers and writing from around the world.
And why a separate international booker? Is that inferior literature? It is the same with translated fiction. I do not understand, give us a single world booker prize, and you'll see that most shortlisted will be translated fiction. Now it is as if english literature is superior to other literature
It's disgusting that something can be too gay for a book prize. Is there some sort of quota, like sorry that's a second sex scene it can only be the long list for you. It makes me wonder if novel have missed out for being too Black or too woman as well. I think if a judge said that, well it's a good thing they're only judges once. I think an organisation is made up of the people representing it, so when we say that an organisation is bigoted, we really mean the people who are representing the organisation are bigoted; so hopefully that's a once off issue... But I think that's a very Rose tinted glasses attitude and it's probably going to be a bit random if we get homophobic judges each year or not. I thought some of the sex scenes in A Brief History of Seven Killings were really confronting, but in a good way which I really enjoyed. I feel like that's a novel which might have been too gay for this judge, and it's wonderful that the judges the year Marlon James won didn't agree.
I don’t follow these literary prizes ( apart from what I see in your content). I think this is very political and tendentious to what ‘certain literary business people’ want us to read. I have my own ideals of what I want to read, so I ignore most of these books.
