The Booker Prize Project (Part 1)
This is an attempt at a feeble and high non-scientific experiment. What I plan to do is to go through the list of Booker Prize winners throughout the years (and nominees, in a separate exercise) and see how many I have read and of those, how many has left any impression on me at all. This may say something about whether prizes, especially one so prestigious as the Booker, actually get awarded to books that have longevity in the minds of typical readers. Not that I am sure I count as a typical reader, but I do read a lot, so I am at least an avid reader, if nothing else.
The Booker Prize Honour-Roll: 1969-1980
1969 - P H Newby, Something to Answer For
1970 - Bernice Rubens, The Elected Member
1971 - V S Naipaul, In a Free State
1972 - John Berger, G
1973 - J G Farrell, The Siege of Krishnapur
1974 - Nadine Gordimer, The Conservationist and Stanley Middleton, Holiday
1975 - Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Heat and Dust
1976 - David Storey, Saville
1977 - Paul Scott, Staying On
1978 - Iris Murdoch, The Sea, the Sea
1979 - Penelope Fitzgerald, Offshore
1980 - William Golding, Rites of Passage
"Heat and Dust" is the only one of these early winners that I have read, although I plan to get my hands on Nadine Gordimer's book, plus Iris Murdoch's and V.S. Naipaul's. I read "Heat and Dust" after watching the screen adaptation, which was very tastefully done. RPJ writes very evocatively, like many Anglo-Indian authors. She successfully conveyed the atmosphere of Colonial South Asia and the book spoke with an authentic voice through-out.
The Booker Prize Honour-Roll: 1981-1990
1981 - Salman Rushdie, Midnight's Children
Not read. And probably may not make a special effort to read it. I have tried reading the Satanic Verses, which is brilliantly crafted, but Rushdie's style somehow leaves me cold.
1982 - Thomas Keneally, Schindler's Ark
I read this after watching the Spielberg adaptation for the large screen, which remains one of the most haunting films I have ever seen. The movie reduced me to tears. The book was less emotionally wrenching but had details and layers that were necessarily left out in the movie. To me, these details enriched the remarkable story of Oskar Schindler. Of the books I have read set during periods of war, this remains amongst the most memorable.
1983 - J M Coetzee, Life & Times of Michael K
1984 - Anita Brookner, Hotel du Lac
1985 - Keri Hulme, The Bone People
All of the above are not read. Anita Brookner is in the "plan to" list. The Bone People has excellent reviews, but I would need to go to New Zealand again in order to work up the motivation to read it, I think.
1986 - Kingsley Amis, The Old Devils
I loved "Lucky Jim". And I think I may have read The Old Devils during my period of reading English comic novels. I certainly remember reading Difficulties with Girls and the story line for The Old Devils sounds mighty familiar. Sadly, I can't confirm if I have read the book, which probably means it wasn't all that memorable. Notwithstanding that, Kingsley Amis was a genious.
1987 - Penelope Lively, Moon Tiger
1988 - Peter Carey, Oscar and Lucinda
Both not read. I frankly know nothing about Moon Tiger, having not heard of the book before I began looking up the list of past Booker winners for this project. It does sound like the type of book that I would enjoy, being about families and having flashbacks to war-time Egypt. I borrowed Oscar and Lucinda from the Library once, and left it unread until I had to return it. I must get around to it someday.
1989 - Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day
A book I have read three times. I love Ishiguro's control over the English language. He writes so lucidly that it seems that the butler in the book was speaking directly to me as the reader. The restraint in the writing mirrored beautifully the character of the protagonist. This is a book that defines novel writing.
1990 - A S Byatt, Possession
This is a beautifully written book; A.S. Byatt shows that she is a craftsperson that uses the language of prose to recreate the lyricism of poetry. The plot device was a little too "clever" for my liking, but the pace never dragged and my interest was held from beginning to end of a rather long novel.
The Booker Prize Honour-Roll: 1969-1980
1969 - P H Newby, Something to Answer For
1970 - Bernice Rubens, The Elected Member
1971 - V S Naipaul, In a Free State
1972 - John Berger, G
1973 - J G Farrell, The Siege of Krishnapur
1974 - Nadine Gordimer, The Conservationist and Stanley Middleton, Holiday
1975 - Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Heat and Dust
1976 - David Storey, Saville
1977 - Paul Scott, Staying On
1978 - Iris Murdoch, The Sea, the Sea
1979 - Penelope Fitzgerald, Offshore
1980 - William Golding, Rites of Passage
"Heat and Dust" is the only one of these early winners that I have read, although I plan to get my hands on Nadine Gordimer's book, plus Iris Murdoch's and V.S. Naipaul's. I read "Heat and Dust" after watching the screen adaptation, which was very tastefully done. RPJ writes very evocatively, like many Anglo-Indian authors. She successfully conveyed the atmosphere of Colonial South Asia and the book spoke with an authentic voice through-out.
The Booker Prize Honour-Roll: 1981-1990
1981 - Salman Rushdie, Midnight's Children
Not read. And probably may not make a special effort to read it. I have tried reading the Satanic Verses, which is brilliantly crafted, but Rushdie's style somehow leaves me cold.
1982 - Thomas Keneally, Schindler's Ark
I read this after watching the Spielberg adaptation for the large screen, which remains one of the most haunting films I have ever seen. The movie reduced me to tears. The book was less emotionally wrenching but had details and layers that were necessarily left out in the movie. To me, these details enriched the remarkable story of Oskar Schindler. Of the books I have read set during periods of war, this remains amongst the most memorable.
1983 - J M Coetzee, Life & Times of Michael K
1984 - Anita Brookner, Hotel du Lac
1985 - Keri Hulme, The Bone People
All of the above are not read. Anita Brookner is in the "plan to" list. The Bone People has excellent reviews, but I would need to go to New Zealand again in order to work up the motivation to read it, I think.
1986 - Kingsley Amis, The Old Devils
I loved "Lucky Jim". And I think I may have read The Old Devils during my period of reading English comic novels. I certainly remember reading Difficulties with Girls and the story line for The Old Devils sounds mighty familiar. Sadly, I can't confirm if I have read the book, which probably means it wasn't all that memorable. Notwithstanding that, Kingsley Amis was a genious.
1987 - Penelope Lively, Moon Tiger
1988 - Peter Carey, Oscar and Lucinda
Both not read. I frankly know nothing about Moon Tiger, having not heard of the book before I began looking up the list of past Booker winners for this project. It does sound like the type of book that I would enjoy, being about families and having flashbacks to war-time Egypt. I borrowed Oscar and Lucinda from the Library once, and left it unread until I had to return it. I must get around to it someday.
1989 - Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day
A book I have read three times. I love Ishiguro's control over the English language. He writes so lucidly that it seems that the butler in the book was speaking directly to me as the reader. The restraint in the writing mirrored beautifully the character of the protagonist. This is a book that defines novel writing.
1990 - A S Byatt, Possession
This is a beautifully written book; A.S. Byatt shows that she is a craftsperson that uses the language of prose to recreate the lyricism of poetry. The plot device was a little too "clever" for my liking, but the pace never dragged and my interest was held from beginning to end of a rather long novel.
Labels: Books
posted by gentleice the deptfordian at 2:42 PM
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