The annual  Man Booker Longlist was announced today with five books from the United States –  two books I’ve read, one I do not plan to read, and two with possibilities.

Here is the list – have you read any?

from the United States:

• Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders – my review
• Autumn by Ali Smith – a lovely, sometimes humorous, testament to friendship across generations and time, the first in a four part series (think seasons)
• The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead  – Although I have not read Whitehead’s imagined rail system, my vote for a better examination of the same subject is Yaa Gaasi’s historical fiction Homegoing!
• 4 3 2 1 by Paul Aster – “What If” books have become popular with treatments from Kate Atkinson, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Peter Howitt, and others.  Auster’s book promises to be easier to follow than most, with chronological exploration of possible lives for Archie.  It’s on my to-read list.
• History of Wolves by Emily Fredlund –  A strange tale of a teenage babysitter in Minnesota confronting the life-and-death consequences of the things people do—and fail to do.  Sounds like an intriguing 288 pages.

The rest of the list includes:

• Days Without End by Sebastian Barry
• Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
• Solar Bones by Mike McCormack
• Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor
• Elmet by Fiona Mozley
• The Ministry Of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy
• Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
• Swing Time by Zadie Smith

The shortlist of six books is announced in September – not much time to catch up on reading.