Man Booker Shortlist Announced

Pick the winner if you dare:

A.S. Byatt, THE CHILDREN'S BOOK
J.M. Coetzee, SUMMERTIME
Adam Foulds, THE QUICKENING MAZE
Hilary Mantel, WOLF HALL
Simon Mawer, THE GLASS ROOM
Sarah Waters, THE LITTLE STRANGER

I'm one for six (the Waters; liked it, didn't love it). Coetzee has already won it twice, Byatt once; Adam Foulds is the youngest nominee at 34. According to the Guardian, bets placed on the list heavily favor Mantel; I know it's illegal, but I really wish America had more of a cultural-gambling culture.

"There was a point about half way through the book when, reading on my way somewhere on the A train, I almost started crying. Which is not rare or weird for me, but I almost started crying this time because I realized that, eventually, the book would be over."

-Jaime of Surplus on the new A.S. Byatt, THE CHILDREN'S BOOK. Hasn't happened to me -- yet.