Man Booker Prize 2017

If you’re looking to tackle some literary heavy weights why not give the Man Booker shortlist a try. With 2 young female debut authors (Fiona Mozley and Emily Fridland) and 3 Americans (Paul Auster, George Saunders and Emily Fridland) this is a novel (pun intended) list. Of course experience is featured as well with Ali Smith clocking up her fourth nomination.

Paul Auster – 4321

On March 3, 1947, in the maternity ward of Beth Israel Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, Archibald Isaac Ferguson, the one and only child of Rose and Stanley Ferguson, is born. From that single beginning, Ferguson's life will take four simultaneous and independent fictional paths. Four Fergusons made of the same genetic material, four boys who are the same boy, will go on to lead four parallel and entirely different lives.

Emily Fridland – History of Wolves

Linda is an outsider in all things. Her understanding of the world comes from her observations at school, where her teacher is accused of possessing child pornography, and from watching the seemingly ordinary life of a family she babysits for. Yet while the accusation against the teacher is perhaps more innocent than it seemed at first, the ordinary family turns out to be more complicated. As Linda insinuates her way into the family's orbit, she realises they are hiding something. If she tells the truth, she will lose the normal family life she is beginning to enjoy with them; and if she doesn't, a life is at stake.

Moshin Hamid – Exit West

In a city swollen by refugees but still mostly at peace, or at least not yet openly at war, Saeed and Nadia share a cup of coffee, and their story begins. It will be a love story but also a story about war and a world in crisis, about how we live now and how we might live tomorrow.

Fiona Mozley – Elmet

Daniel is heading north. He is looking for someone. The simplicity of his early life with Daddy and Cathy has turned sour and fearful. Sometimes Daddy disappeared and would return with a rage in his eyes. But when he was at home he was at peace. He told them that the little copse in Elmet was theirs alone. But that wasn't true. Local men, greedy and watchful, began to circle like vultures. All the while, the terrible violence in Daddy grew.

George Saunders – Lincoln in the Bardo

President Lincoln's beloved eleven-year-old son lies gravely ill. In a matter of days, Willie dies and is laid to rest in a Georgetown cemetery. Newspapers report that a grief-stricken Lincoln returns to the crypt several times alone to hold his boy's body. From this seed of historical truth, George Saunders spins an unforgettable story of familial love and loss that breaks free of realism, entering a thrilling, supernatural domain both hilarious and terrifying.

 

Ali Smith – Autumn

Fusing Keatsian mists and mellow fruitfulness with the vitality, the immediacy and the colour-hit of Pop Art - via a bit of very contemporary skulduggery - 'Autumn' is a witty excavation of the present by the past and a stripped-branches take on popular culture.

The winner will be announced Tuesday 17 October 2017.

George Saunders is the Bookies’ favourite to take the prize. Who’s yours?

Gwobr Man Booker 2017

Os ydych chi am daclo rhai o fawrion llenyddiaeth pam na rowch chi dro ar  restr fer Man Booker. Gyda 2 awdures newydd ifanc (Fiona Mozley ac Emily Fridland) a 3 Americanwr (Paul Auster, George Saunders ac Emily Fridland) dyma restr sy’n troi dalen newydd (mwyseiriau bwriadol). Wrth gwrs mae yma brofiad hefyd, yn ogystal ag Ali Smith gyda’i phedwerydd enwebiad.

Paul Auster – 4321

Ar Fawrth, 1947, yn ward mamolaeth Ysbyty Beth Israel yn Newark, New Jersey, genir Archibald Isaac Ferguson, unig blentyn Rose a Stanley Ferguson. O’r dechrau hwnnw, bydd bywyd yn mynd ar hyd pedair taith gydamserol ac annibynnol ffuglennol. Bydd pedwar Ferguson o’r un cnawd, pedwar bachgen sydd yn un bachgen, yn mynd ymlaen i fyw pedwar bywyd cyfochrog a chwbl wahanol.

Emily Fridland – History of Wolves

Mae Linda ar y tu allan i bopeth. Daw ei ddealltwriaeth o’r byd o’u harsylwadau yn yr ysgol, ble mae ei hathro’n cael ei gyhuddo o fod â phornograffi o blant yn ei feddiant, ac o wylio bywyd ymddangosiadol cyffredin y teulu y mae’n gwarchod eu plant. Ond, tra bod y cyhuddiad yn erbyn yr athro o bosibl nag yr oedd yn ymddangos ar yr olwg gyntaf, mae’r teulu cyffredin yn troi allan i fod yn fwy cymhleth.  Wrth i sleifio i gwmni’r teulu, mae’n sylweddoli ei bod yn cuddio rhywbeth.  Os yw hi’n dweud y gwir, bydd hi’n colli’r bywyd teuluol normal y mae hi’n dechrau mwynhau gyda nhw; ac os na fydd hi’n dweud rhywbeth, mae yna fywyd yn y fantol.

Moshin Hamid – Exit West

Mewn dinas yn llawn ffoaduriaid  ond yn heddychlon ar y cyfan, neu o leiaf heb fynd i ryfel eto, mae Saeed a Nadia’n rhannu paned o goffi, ac mae eu stori’n dechrau.  Bydd yn stori serch ond hefyd yn stori am ryfel a byd mewn argyfwng, am sut yr ydym yn byw nawr a sut gallwn fyw yfory.

Fiona Mozley – Elmet

Mae Daniel tyn teithio tua’r gogledd.  Mae e’n chwilio am rywun. Mae symlrwydd ei fywyd cynnar gyda Dad a Cathy wedi troi’n sur ac yn frawychus. Weithiau roedd Dad yn diflannu ac y dod yn ôl gyda dicter yn ei lygaid. Ond pan oedd gartref roedd yn llonydd. Dywedodd fod y perthlys bach yn Elmet yn perthyn iddyn nhw.  Ond doedd hynny ddim yw wir.  Dechreuodd dynion lleol, barus edrych o gwmpas fel adar corff. Trwy’r adeg, tyfodd y trais oddi mewn i Dad.

George Saunders – Lincoln in the Bardo

Mae mab annwyl, unarddeg mlwydd oed yr Arlywydd Lincoln yn ddifrifol wael. Ymhen dyddiau, mae Willie’n marw ac yn cael ei gladdu mewn mynwent yn Georgetown. Dywedodd papurau newydd bod Lincoln, yn ei alar, yn dychwelyd i’r bedd nifer o weithiau ar ei ben ei hun i ddal corff ei fab. O’r hedyn yma, mae  George Saunders yn gweu stori fythgofiadwy am gariad teuluol a cholled sy’n torri’n rhydd o realaeth ac ym mynd i dir cyffrous, goruwchnaturiol sy’n ddoniol ac yn ddychrynllyd.

Ali Smith – Autumn

Wrth gyfuno niwloedd a ffrwythlondeb aeddfed Keatsaidd gyda bywiogrwydd, uniongyrchedd a lliw Celf Bop – trwy ychydig o anfadwaith cyfoes – mae 'Autumn' yw yn duriad cyfoes o’r presennol gan y gorffennol ac yn wedd noeth ar ddiwylliant poblogaidd.

Cyhoeddir yr enillydd ar ddydd Mawrth 17 Hydref 2017.

George Saunders yw ffefryn y bwci i ennill. Pwy yw eich dewis chi?