BOTM: E. Waugh, Men at Arms
J. Ferris, To rise again at a decent hour
K.J. Fowler, We are all completely beside ourselves
H. Jacobson, J
N. Mukerjee, The lives of others
A. Smith, How to be both
E. Waugh, Helena
E. Waugh, Officers and Gentlemen
E. Waugh, Unconditional Surrender
M Zusak, The Book Thief
&, for completeness but not actually finished till November, R. Flanagan, The narrow road to the deep north
N. Mukerjee, The lives of others
A. Smith, How to be both
E. Waugh, Helena
E. Waugh, Officers and Gentlemen
E. Waugh, Unconditional Surrender
M Zusak, The Book Thief
&, for completeness but not actually finished till November, R. Flanagan, The narrow road to the deep north
This has become a bit difficult. I delayed this because - for the first time ever - I've managed to read all the Booker shortlist. Unlike last year, they appear to have been right. So, Flanagan would have been BOTM had it been in the month, but it wasn't. Anyway, It's still difficult to award pick a favourite then because I can't really call out which one of Evelyn Waugh's war trilogy is the best. The last one is the nicest to read because it gets resolved, but I think it's the first one that does what it does best, though that may be because I found the great character of the mad brigadier (Ritchie - Hook) more amenable than the monstrous Ludovic who stalks Officers and Gentlemen. The trilogy, it goes without saying, is magnificent.
For the record, I'd rank the Booker shortlist as follows: 1. Flanagan, 2.Fowler, 3. Mukerjee, 4. Ferris, 5. Smith, 6. Jacobson. If I could have read just the first half of Ferris or the second half of Ali Smith (in my version, the modern story), they'd have done better.
