THE BOOKER SHORTLIST

Yes, it's out!

And I'm half-way there. Was rooting for Mohsin Hamid and Tan Twan Eng. Hamid's made it, Twan hasn't. Not that this in any way diminishes the power of the book. 'The Gift of Rain' is Twan's debut and its encouraging to see it come so far. I am certain this is only the beginning for a promising young writer you should be keeping your eyes on.

Getting back to the Booker, I'm not one for the odds. But if that's the kind of thing that drives your reading, here it is.

I'm all for 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist' though those who have read Indra Sinha's 'Animal's People' - a fictionalised story of one of the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster victims, point to the tough race ahead.

Then there is New Zealander Lloyd Jones 'Mister Pip'which has already won the
Commonwealth Writers' Prize Overall Best Book Award 2007.

Nicola Barker's 'Darkmans', Ian McEwan's 'On Chesil Beach' and Anne Enright's 'The Gathering' complete the shortlist.

The winner will be announced on Tuesday, October 16th at the Guildhall in London. You have no excuses for not catching up on your reading and telling me all about your Booker picks.