2017 Man Booker Awarded to George Saunders
George Saunders' novel Lincoln in the Bardo has won'this year's Man Booker Prize. The novel takes place on the night that Willie Lincoln, beloved son of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, was buried in a Washington cemetery. Although children generally move quickly into the afterlife, 11-year-old Willie is tempted to stay, waiting for his father to return. Those children who do not move on quickly are subjected to torment. The cemetery is populated by other souls who have not moved on for one reason or another and they try to spare the child from this agony. Described as a post-modernist novel combining history and Buddhist philosophy, the novel was a unanimous choice of the judges.
George Saunders discussed his novel with Eleanor Wachtel earlier this year at the Appel Salon.
George Saunders Appel Salon Video
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
The other finalists were:
4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster
- ebook
- Audiobook CD
- e-audiobook
- CD Talking Book (restricted to print disabled patrons)
Autumn by Ali Smith
Elmet by Fiona Mozley
History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund
Related Posts:
Man Booker Longlist 2017
One thought on “2017 Man Booker Awarded to George Saunders”
I’m afraid I’ve lost both interest (well, mostly) and respect for the Man Booker. This was a Commonwealth prize and it was disappointing when it was announced that Americans were eligible (I believe last year). Saunders is a brilliant writer (as is the American who won last year). But you can see the direction the Bookers will now take. Americans will dominate in a contest that was set up to honour writers from the Commonwealth.