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In the world of the Booker Prizes this week: we revisit the story of a brutal Scottish crime; we celebrate some of the longest novels from the archives; and our podcast goes back to school
Discover our September Book of the Month: His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet
Throughout September, we’re celebrating our latest Book of the Month – Graeme Macrae Burnet’s His Bloody Project, a mesmerising literary thriller that tells the story behind a fictional 19th-century triple murder in a remote Scottish crofting community, through an array of ‘found’ documents.
The Guardian described it as ‘a literary jeux d’esprit’, a book that ‘brings an extraordinary historical period into focus’ adding that ‘the multiple unreliable perspectives are designed to keep the audience wondering’. The novel was shortlisted for the Booker in 2016 – it was Macrae Burnet’s first nomination, before he was longlisted once again for Case Study in 2022, a psychological drama set in 1960s London.
Visit our Book of the Month page to read an extract from the novel, explore our detailed reading guide, and for a chance to win a bundle of the author’s Booker Prize-nominated novels. And look out for our interview with Graeme Macrae Burnet on The Booker Prize Podcast later this month.
12 of the best long books from the Booker Library
Eric Karl Anderson, who writes online as Lonesome Reader, recommends a selection of Booker-nominated novels that stretch to 500 pages or more (much more in some cases), from multi-generational epics to expansive masterpieces. They may look intimidating but these immersive literary tomes are well worth your time…
The Booker Prize Podcast, Episode 11: Back to school with Ian McEwan's Atonement
September is here, which means it’s the start of another academic year. So grab your brand new stationery and settle down as we head back to school… no polyester uniforms or exams though, so don’t worry. This week, Jo Hamya and James Walton take a look at Booker-nominated books that feature on school syllabuses in the UK and, particularly, dive into Ian McEwan’s Atonement.
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2001, the novel explores how a young girl’s imagination runs riot with far-reaching and devastating consequences. Tune in here.
Two weeks to go…
Or, more precisely, just one week and six days until the shortlist for the Booker Prize 2023 is revealed. The shortlist of six books will be announced at the newly re-opened National Portrait Gallery in London on Thursday, September 21, and will be live-streamed from 7.45pm (BST) on all of our social channels. We can’t wait!