Back at the end of July, we introduced you to the 13 authors who made the longlist for the 2011 Man Booker Prize, which honors the year’s best novel from the UK, Ireland, or Zimbabwe. Now, the six-book shortlist has been announced, and it includes a healthy mix of veterans (Julian Barnes, Carol Birch) and newcomers (Stephen Kelman, A.D. Miller). The prize will be awarded on October 18th, which gives us plenty of time to dig into the nominees — although, sadly, Barnes’ The Sense of an Ending won’t be published in the US until January and it’s unclear whether Esi Edugyan’s Half Blood Blues will ever be available stateside. The full Man Booker 2011 shortlist is after the jump.
2011 Man Booker Prize shortlist:
Julian Barnes — The Sense of an Ending Carol Birch — Jamrach’s Menagerie Patrick deWitt — The Sisters Brothers Esi Edugyan — Half Blood Blues Stephen Kelman — Pigeon English A.D. Miller — Snowdrops
[via Jacket Copy]