British-Pakistani authors Mohsin Hamid and Kamila Shamsie have been long-listed for the prestigious Man Booker prize.
Shamsie’s yet to be officially distributed Home Fire and Hamid’s epic romance Exit West are among the 13 novels nominated for the £50,000 award. Hamid’s second novel — The Reluctant Fundamentalist — was shortlisted for the award in 2007.
The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by renowned author Arundhati Roy has also been long listed for the prize.
Roy won the award for her first novel, The God of Small Things published 20 years ago.
Chair of judges Baroness Lola Young shared that only when the judges surveyed the 13 remaining contenders that they realised the diversity of their list.
2017 Man Booker Prize long-list
- Paul Auster, 4 3 2 1
- Sebastian Barry, Days Without End
- Emily Fridlund, History of Wolves
- Mohsin Hamid, Exit West
- Mike McCormack, Solar Bones
- Jon McGregor, Reservoir 13
- Fiona Mozley, Elmet
- Arundhati Roy, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness
- George Saunders, Lincoln in the Bardo
- Kamila Shamsie, Home Fire
- Ali Smith, Autumn
- Zadie Smith, Swing Time
- Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad
“The longlist showcases a diverse spectrum – not only of voices and literary styles but of protagonists too, in their culture, age and gender. Nevertheless we found there was a spirit common to all these novels: though their subject matter might be turbulent, their power and range were life-affirming – a tonic for our times,” said Young.
Young and her fellow judges will reread the longlist of 13 titles to come up with a shortlist of six, which will be announced on September 13. The winner will be announced on October 17.