Man Booker Prize Longlist

Now in its 40th year, the Man Booker Prize aims to reward the best novel of the year written by a citizen of the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland. The Man Booker judges are selected from the country's finest critics, writers and academics to maintain the consistent excellence of the prize. The winner of the Man Booker Prize receives £50,000 and both the winner and the shortlisted authors are guaranteed a worldwide readership plus a dramatic increase in book sales.

This year's "Booker dozen" longlist has been announced, and includes a crime fiction novel that has already won the CWA's Ian Fleming Steel Dagger.

Aravind Adiga The White Tiger
Gaynor Arnold Girl in a Blue Dress
Sebastian Barry The Secret Scripture
John Berger From A to X
Australian -Michelle de Kretser The Lost Dog
Amitav Ghosh Sea of Poppies
Linda Grant The Clothes on Their Backs
Mohammed Hanif A Case of Exploding Mangoes
Philip Hensher The Northern Clemency
Joseph O'Neill Netherland
Salman Rushdie The Enchantress of Florence
**** Tom Rob Smith Child 44
**** Australian - Steve Toltz A Fraction of the Whole

**** Crime Fiction
The chair of judges commented With a notable degree of consensus, the five Man Booker judges decided on their longlist of 13 books. The judges are pleased with the geographical balance of the longlist with writers from Pakistan, India, Australia (which novel is this?), Ireland and UK. We also are happy with the interesting mix of books, five first novels and two novels by former winners. The list covers an extraordinary variety of writing. Still two qualities emerge this year: large scale narrative and the striking use of humour.

The shortlist will be announced on September 9 and the winner on October 14.

Earlier this month, a public vote decided that Salman Rushdie was the winner of the "Best of Booker" prize with Midnight's Children. The prize celebrates the 40 years of Booker prizes.