Man Booker Prize 2016 Shortlist Announced

Six authors have made the shortlist for this year’s Man Booker Prize for Fiction, including former nominee Deborah Levy.

Levy’s latest novel, Hot Milk, has made the final cut alongside new books from authors from the U.S. and Canada. The shortlist was announced by a select panel of judges, chaired by historian and best-selling author Dr. Amanda Foreman, on Tuesday.

Ottessa Moshfegh from the U.S. is the only first-time author to receive a nomination for her debut, Eileen. Joining her is fellow countryman Paul Beatty for his novel The Sellout.

The other nominated authors include: Graeme Macrae Burnet (U.K.), author of His Bloody Project; David Szalay (Canada/U.K.), author of All That Man Is; and Madeleine Thien (Canada), author of Do Not Say We Have Nothing.

“The Man Booker Prize subjects novels to a level of scrutiny that few books can survive. In re-reading our incredibly diverse and challenging longlist, it was both agonizing and exhilarating to be confronted by the sheer power of the writing,” Foreman said.

“As a group we were excited by the willingness of so many authors to take risks with language and form. The final six reflect the centrality of the novel in modern culture—in its ability to champion the unconventional, to explore the unfamiliar, and to tackle difficult subjects.”

The winner of the Booker Prize will receive a £50,000 reward. The other nominees will each take home £2,500.

The shortlist was selected from 155 submissions published or to be published in English in the U.K. between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016.

The Man Booker Prize winner will be announced October 25 at a ceremony in London.