Booker Prize 2024: Women dominate this year's shortlist

The Booker Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world. It is awarded annually to a novel written in English by a citizen of the Commonwealth or Ireland.

This year's shortlist is dominated by women, with four of the six shortlisted authors being female. The shortlisted books are:

• Treacle Walker by Alan Garner

• Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

• The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka

• Glory by NoViolet Bulawayo

• The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty

• After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz

Authors

Alan Garner is a British author who has written over 20 novels, including The Owl Service and The Weirdstone of Brisingamen.

Claire Keegan is an Irish author who has written six novels, including Foster and Small Things Like These.

Shehan Karunatilaka is a Sri Lankan author who has written four novels, including The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida.

NoViolet Bulawayo is a Zimbabwean author who has written two novels, including We Need New Names and Glory.

Tess Gunty is an American author who has written one novel, The Rabbit Hutch.

Selby Wynn Schwartz is an American author who has written three novels, including The Other Father and After Sappho.

Themes

The shortlisted books cover a wide range of themes, including:

• Loss and grief

• The power of memory

• The search for identity

• The impact of war and violence

• The importance of family and community

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan is a story about a coal merchant in Ireland who is struggling to come to terms with the death of his wife. The novel explores the themes of loss, grief, and the power of memory. The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka is a satirical novel about a war photographer who is murdered in Sri Lanka. The novel explores the themes of the impact of war and violence, and the search for identity. Glory by NoViolet Bulawayo is a novel about a young woman who leaves Zimbabwe for America. The novel explores the themes of the search for identity, the importance of family and community, and the impact of war and violence. The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty is a novel about a group of teenagers who live in a housing project in Indianapolis. The novel explores the themes of poverty, inequality, and the search for identity. After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz is a novel about a young woman who is struggling to come to terms with her sexuality. The novel explores the themes of the search for identity, the power of memory, and the importance of family and community.

Impact

The Booker Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world. It has a significant impact on the careers of the shortlisted authors and the sales of their books. The winning book is often translated into multiple languages and sold around the world.

This year's shortlist is dominated by women, which is a positive sign for the representation of women in literature. The shortlisted books are all of a high quality and they explore a wide range of important themes. The winner will be announced in October 2024 and it is sure to be a closely fought contest.