Funny to see so many Americans on the list. I've read A Spool of Blue Thread and thought it was fine, vintage Anne Tyler, but no new ground broken. I have an ARC of Bill Clegg's book, Did You Ever Have a Family upstairs in my room so now I'll dig it out and read it. I *meant* to read the Lalami book but never got around to it...that's it for me.

Haven't read any and only familiar with the Anne Tyler. Looking forward to your reviews, Martin.

I recently read Anne Tyler's book and thoroughly enjoyed it. Surprised that it has made the list as it seems quite 'ordinary' (ie understandable and readable) by Booker standards.

I have heard via the BBC 'Book at Bedtime' both Enright's The Green Road and O'Hagan's The Illuminations although I probably fell asleep during parts of them.

In certain quarters (of the literary kind) there have been murmurings about the number of American authors on the list plus suggestions that a couple of other names actually have lived in the US for years . . . but . . . some committee decided that the prize should be widened to encompass books written in the English language so UK/Commonwealth writers will have to start producing what the judges are looking for.

Vee, I wonder if you have read "The Booker Book" by Simon Brett which amusingly describes an author's plans to write a Booker novel?

I suggested to Martin once that he should include it in his collection (tongue in cheek, of course!)

Martin, have you filled that lovely bookcase yet?

What exactly ARE the judges looking for? Is it general literary excellence, or something more specific than that? A cutting edge quality, perhaps?

Ann I don't think I have ever read anything by Simon Brett but I do enjoy listening to him on BBC radio where he has 'hosted' several mildly literary quizzes. Recently the 'panels' have been made up of actors/personalities/C listers I have never heard of. I often find I know the answers before they do. SB has to do a great deal of nudging to get an intelligent response out of them.

Based on the book descriptions (Thanks for providing easy access, Martin.), without reading a single one, I will predict that The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma will win. It is the one I find most intriguing. Plus, the author's surname being so similar to Obama should give him an edge. <smile>

I've read A Spool of Blue Thread and agree with Vee, it was classic Anne Tyler and I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't consider it a literary heavyweight. Of all the books on the list, I think the ones I'd be likely to pick up would be Lila or The Moor's Account. Martin, I'll look forward to hear what you think of them.

Vee, you wonder what kind of process some contestants go through to get on these shows! I applied for one on local TV and had to answer a quiz before I was considered. It is no fun to see, as I have seen, a host struggling to get responses from contestants.

Of course, it is harder in the studio than sitting on the couch at home as contestants repeated assure us when they "bomb out".

However,if it is a light-hearted show, some of the blurted-out answers can be very amusing!

Ann, I've probably mentioned this before . . and US citizens turn away at this point especially if of delicate sensibilities . . . on a BBC radio music quiz which runs annually over several months . . . and has such diverse topics as classical, jazz, musicals, pop, folk, blues etc . . . the compere asked the question "From what musical does the song I Have a Splendid Cock come from?" Without a moments hesitation the panelist replied Lock Up Your Daughters. It gave everyone a good laugh!

The correct answer should have been 'The Canterbury Tales'

Vee, no, that is a new one! I didn't even know that there was such a musical!

I don't think anyone can have delicate sensibilities any more. I remember when "blue" comedians either had to clean up their material or they were barred from the wireless! One was told not to sign off with "God bless."

The funniest story I read about was an angry letter from a listener concerning a quiz question he had heard which asked for Jesus' first name and the answer which was correctly given as Reginald.

The BBC complaints department wrote back, gently advising that the question was actually "What is Jeeves's first name?"

Sorry, Martin, went a bit off topic for a moment.

I think I'm about a quarter way through Did You Ever Have a Family. So far, it's nominally about a woman whose ex-h, daughter, daughter's fiance, and the woman's boyfriend have all been killed in a house explosion. Each chapter is the story of someone tangentially connected to the family. Not very, um, gripping so far; hoping it gets better.

OK - I've finally got started. I've finished The Illuminations by Andrew O'Hagan. A beautifully written book examining families and friends and their relationships - based on a woman who used to be an exceptional photographer, but has now got dementia; her friend in the sheltered housing; and their families and lives. Really, not a lot happens, but it's a lovely book. Short list, I suspect. Winner? Too early to say, but I think I'd be surprised.

Onto Satin Island by Tom McCarthy.

Hmmm.

OK, Satin Island is well written, and it's short. But nothing happens. Our hero, U., is an anthropologist working for a company, and he spends the whole book talking about what he is doing - which is precious little as far as I can see. The only really interesting bit is a story his girlfriend tells him about two-thirds of the way through.

Nothing happens. It's pointless. I'm astounded it was longlisted, and I'll be appalled if it's shortlisted.

Now The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami. Thirty pages in and already heaps better that that.

I've also read the first couple of pages of A Brief History of Seven Killings and The Fishermen, and not been awfully enthralled. I'll retry them later.

Crossing Satin Island off my list. I love a good story and a book had better have something special if it hasn't got a good plot to keep me turning the pages. Thanks Martin.

And I've finished The Moor's Account. It is excellent. An gripping, exciting story, with plenty of meat. I don't know if it's the best novel of the year, but I would have no objection at all if it were short-listed. It's based on the true story about a band of Spanish explorers who went to Florida in the early 16th Century, hoping to obtain similar rewards to Cortez in Mexico (gold, and lots of it!), and what happened to them. The Moor is a slave of one of the captains, and it's, obviously, told in first person from his point of view.

Marvellous novel - I'd thoroughly recommend it.

A friend of mine is has read the Enright and is a bit negative about it. So I'm going to try The Year of the Runaways next.

Thanks for the reviews Martin. I always look forward to what you say about the Booker long and short lists.

OK - The Fishermen turned out to be much better than I expected. A madman in the village curses the eldest brother; the story is really about the fallout from that event. It's interestingly written; some of the chapters are almost parables. I enjoyed it more than I expected - though it's not really a pleasant story. Shortlist, I suspect.

I'm also got A Little Life on my ereader. Whether I'll get to it by the 15th, I'm not sure. I found Stardust by Neil Gaiman on offer at 99p, and I think I need a break from what is a rather unrelenting stream of rather depressing stories this year!

OK - I thoroughly enjoyed Stardust. A bit different to the film, but great fun.

I decided to give A Little Life a go. Nearly 700 pages, but the reviews seem quite exceptional. Only a hundred pages into it - but it's keeping me riveted. It seems to be about four young men and their lives, and we're seeing flashbacks to their childhood. Clearly one of them at least has some pretty appalling stuff in his past. (Well, you've got to have SOME depression, haven't you!). But I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far. I'll let you know what I think when I've finished. Should just finish this before the shortlist announcement on the 15th.