General Discussion

Which of the four is your favourite?

I'm trying to think of the others...

Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre (thought it was OK but have no desire to reread it or read anything else he writes)

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy (haven't read it; one of those books which has divided opinion as far as I can see - a little like most Booker winners!)

the other one then must be The Bone People by Keri Hulme? Haven't read it either. It's often cited as a sort of joke reference to how bad the Booker can get, but presumably some people must like it.

Hm... perhaps debuts shouldn't be eligible for the Booker? It might cut down the number of titles the judges have to read.

The God of Small Things - it is not only my favourite of the four - it is one of my favourite books of all time.

I'm not fond of any of them. If pressed, I'd go with "Vernone God Little."

I agree with JohnSelf, though. Perhaps debuts shouldn't be eligible for the Booker.

Vernon God Little is sitting on my shelf waiting to be read, as with God of Small Things (which I have tried to start twice but never got far into).

I think the Bone People is a magnificent novel! I guess I must be the lone reader who liked it enough to have been VERY disappointed when it was not nominated for the Best of the Booker.

Overall, the quality of the first novels that have won is rather uneven, but, if pressed, I'd say "The God of Small Things" is the best.

Speaking of which, whatever happened to Arundhati Roy? She hasn't written another novel since her 1997 breakthough, though I understand she's written essays and been heavily involved with activism.

"Speaking of which, whatever happened to Arundhati Roy? She hasn't written another novel since her 1997 breakthough, though I understand she's written essays and been heavily involved with activism."

She vowed never to write another novel, eventually reneging on the vow with her new novel out, I think, next year.

God Of Small Things- The Best.

Also She never said, she is not going to write a novel, she said
" one should write a novel only when he/she has a story to tell" and she said...when she has one, she will write!

Archer, Arundhati Roy announced last year that she was beginning work on her second novel. I await it with breath that is bated. I loved The God of Small Things. It is a book I return to time and time again.

Venon God Little was, I thought, a great book for the present time and a unique insight into the mind of a teenager in the US. Of the other books shortlisted in that year, I've only read "Brick Lane" and I thought it was good in some parts and average in others.

I am presently reading The Bone People. I started it when travelling down the harsh coast of New Zealand's South Island, and I agree with Gabe77, I think it is a magnificent piece of writing, really. While I am reading other books while reading the Bone People, I find myself thinking of it more often when I'm not reading it and that for mer personally, is one of the hallmarks of a great book.

Arvind Adiga's The White Tiger is the best....