Spine-tingling reads for Halloween from the Booker Prize archives
As the nights draw in, we present your pick of Booker-nominated novels to read with the lights on; discover a collection of Korean horror stories on our podcast; and test your wits with our quiz
11 of the scariest books from the Booker Library, chosen by our readers
‘To learn what we fear is to learn who we are,’ noted Shirley Jackson, an author widely considered one of the greatest horror writers of the 20th century. And it’s within those fears that the best writers, both of classics and contemporary fiction, have often found their inspiration.
Even the Booker Library, the archive of over 600 books that have been nominated for our prizes since 1969, has its fair share of scary stories. But where to start? We recently turned to you, our readers, to help uncover the Booker books that are most likely to send a shiver down the spine. The books you recommended – via our Facebook Book Club, our Substack and our social channels – echoed Jackson’s sentiment: not only did you pick out tales of things that go bump in the night, but a wealth of chilling stories that explore the shadowy recesses of humanity itself.
The Booker Prize Podcast: Halloween Special, featuring Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung
In this recent episode of The Booker Prize Podcast, our hosts revisit a scary and disturbing book for Halloween: Cursed Bunny. Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2022, written by Bora Chung and translated from Korean to English by Anton Hur, this is a collection of fantastically surreal, darkly comic and frankly unforgettable stories that address the very real horrors of capitalism and the patriarchy.
Ghostly and horrifying, with elements of magical realism, horror, folklore and science-fiction, it’s a perfect read for this time of year. Listen in as Jo Hamya and James Walton discuss the unexpected way the book found its way to Western readers, the traditions of Korean horror and folk tales, and other books that have given them nightmares.
A Booker Prize quiz for Halloween: 13 chilling trivia questions
All Hallows’ Eve is upon us once again, which means it’s time to test your Booker knowledge with our fiendish quiz. Do you know your bone people from your old devils? Your ghost stories from your murder mysteries? Delve into the archives with us here...