Three Irish writers feature on this year's Booker longlist, which is dominated by four former winners. John Banville, Sebastian Barry and William Wall are among the 17 novelists included on the predominantly British, indeed London-based, selection announced in London yesterday.
As expected, former winners South African JM Coetzee, the first writer to win twice (in 1983 and 1999), Ian McEwan (1998), Salman Rushdie ( 1980) and Kazuo Ishiguro (1989) are all present with impressive contenders.
John Banville was shortlisted in 1989 for The Book of Evidence. Despite being consistently acknowledged as a prose master, he has since been overlooked by Booker panels. His longlisted novel, The Sea, received good reviews and deserves to make the final six.
Sebastian Barry has been long- listed for A Long Long Way, as has William Wall for This is the Country. Both novels were well reviewed. A second South African, veteran Dan Jacobson, one of the most underrated story-tellers currently at work, has been nominated for All For Love.
Also exciting is the inclusion of Russian-born UK resident Marina Lewycka's engaging debut, A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian.
Three of the most prominent of Britain's younger women writers, Scot Ali Smith, Londoner Zadie Smith and Canadian-born, London-based Rachel Cusk have also been longlisted.
Another Briton, Derbyshire native, twice previously shortlisted, Hilary Mantel, is included for Beyond Black. Londoners James Meek and Harry Thompson do look outsiders.
Coetzee's The Slow Man, due to be published next month, is a stylish, personal narrative evocative in ways of Banville's The Sea - both should decide the final outcome. Ishiguro's subtle and prophetic Never Let Me Go and Julian Barnes's surprisingly appealing period tale, Arthur & George, will also attract wide support.
