Sarah Hall is on this year’s longlist for the Man Booker prize for her latest novel HOW TO PAINT A DEAD MAN.
The chair of judges, James Naughtie, said: ‘We believe it to be one of the strongest lists in recent memory, with two former winners, four past-shortlisted writers, three first-time novelists and a span of styles and themes that make this an outstandingly rich fictional mix… [we] emerged with a feeling that we were part of an exceptional year.’
Chaired by broadcaster and author James Naughtie, the 2009 judges are Lucasta Miller, biographer and critic; Michael Prodger, Literary Editor of The Sunday Telegraph; Professor John Mullan, academic, journalist and broadcaster and Sue Perkins, comedian, journalist and broadcaster.
To celebrate the longlist announcement, the 2009 Man Booker Prize will be showcased as part of the One & Other project on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, London. On Tuesday 11 August at 11am, a Man Booker Prize enthusiast will give readings from all 13 longlisted titles and then give away copies of the books.
A total of 132 books, 11 of which were called in by the judges, were considered for the ‘Man Booker Dozen’ longlist of 13 books. You can read the full press release here.
29 Jul 2009