The list of nominees for Britain’s prestigious Booker Literary Awards, announced on Tuesday, lacks big names and ranges from a 20-year-old writer for his first novel to a late 80-year-old dean of the century. nominees, and the organizers explained that they wanted to express through him the “planetary fears” of Earth.

“The thirteen books certainly reflect and allow for reflection on the problems of the planet in recent years,” jury chairman Neil McGregor said in a statement released by AFP, specifically mentioning the disease , racial issues, gender issues, or even the fragility of the world. . political system.
Twenty-year-old American Layla Motley became the youngest nominee for the prestigious literary award in her history for her first novel, Nightcrawl, which tells the story of the main character in the failure of the judicial system that persecutes young black people. women.
In contrast, Briton Alan Garner has been the dean of nominees in the history of the award. The 88-year-old writer was selected at an award ceremony in October for his novel Molasses Walker.
Also on the shortlist for nominations is Little Things Like This, a short novel by Irish writer Claire Keegan, who previously won the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction in mid-July and tells the story of a timber and coal merchant in Ireland in 1985.
The list also includes four other novelists previously nominated for the Booker, namely: No Violet Bulawayo of Zimbabwe for Glory, American Karen Joy Fowler for Booth, Briton Graham McRae Burnett for Case Study. and American Elizabeth Strout for “Oh William!”
A five-member jury selected thirteen titles from 169 novels published in the UK or Ireland between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022. Eight of the thirteen shortlisted names were female and three were chosen for their first novels.
The prize was awarded last year to South African writer and playwright Damien Galgo for his book The Promise, which takes place between the fall of apartheid and the presidency of Jacob Zuma and describes the gradual disappearance of a white family from Pretoria. as the country moves towards democracy.
The six finalists will be announced on September 6, with the winner announced on October 17 and receiving a cash prize of £50,000 (approximately US$60,000) in addition to the global exposure provided by the title.