The Best of the Booker

Readers’ GuidesDisgraceby J.M. CoetzeePublisher by VintagePaperback RRP £7.99

Winning year 1999

Other shortlisted titles in 1999AnitaDesai–Fasting, FeastingMichaelFrayn–HeadlongAndrewO’Hagan–Our FathersAhdafSoueif–The Map of LoveColmToibin–The Blackwater Lightship

1999 JudgesGeraldKaufman(Chair),SheenaMcKay,JohnSutherland,BoydTonkin,NatashaWalter

www.themanbookerprize.com

About the author JMCoetzeewasborninSouthAfricain1940.Hewonthe1983BookerPrizewithLife & Times of Michael KandthenagainwithDisgracein1999.HisnovelsincludeWaiting for the Barbarians(awardedtheJamesTaitBlackMemorialPrizein1980)andThe Master of Petersburg(awardedtheIrishTimesInternationalFictionPrizein1995).In2003hewasawardedtheNobelPrizeforLiterature.JMCoetzeelivesinAustralia.

Disgrace Refusingtoapologiseafteranimpulsiveaffairwithastudent,DavidLurie,a52yearoldprofessorinCapeTown,seeksrefugeonhisdaughter’sfarmwhereasavageanddisturbingattackbringsintoreliefthefaultsintheirrelationship.PitchingthemoralcodeofpoliticalcorrectnessagainstthevaluesofRomanticpoetry,Disgraceexaminesdichotomiesbothinpersonalrelationshipsandintheunaccountabilityofoneculturetowardsanother.

Discussion points • Thenoveliswritteninthethirdpersonbut

weseethingsfromDavidLurie’sviewpoint.Doyouthinkheistheheroofthestory?

• DoesDavidbecomeabetterhumanbeingasaresultofhisexperiences?

• DavidLurieisdisgracedinthestorybecausehehaspreyedonavulnerablestudent.Doyouthinkthestoryisaboutotherformsofdisgrace?

• HowwouldyoudescribeDavid’srelationshipwithhisdaughterLucy?Doesitgetstrongerormorefraughtinthecourseofthenovel?

• WearemoreawareofDavid’sfeelingsaboutLucythanweareofhersabouthim.HowdoyouthinkLucywoulddescribeDavid?

• IfthisnovelistellingusaboutthecurrentrealityofSouthAfrica,whatisitsaying?Isitaverybleakvision?

Other books by JM Coetzee Life&TimesofMichaelK;Dusklands;IntheHeartoftheCountry;WaitingfortheBarbarians;Foe;AgeofIron;TheMasterofPetersburg;Boyhood;SlowMan;DiaryofaBadYear

Further Reading Sabbath’sTheatre–PhilipRothTheHouseofMrBiswas–VSNaipaulTheTrial–FranzKafkaTheHouseGun–NadineGordimerDogHeart–BreytenBreytenbach

Useful links http://www.encompassculture.com/readinggroups/readersnotes/disgracebyj.m.coetzee/http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/offthepagehttp://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/books/39

The Best of the Booker

Readers’ GuidesMidnight’s Childrenby Salman RushdiePublisher by VintagePaperback RRP £7.99

Winning year 1981

Other shortlisted titles in 1981MollyKeane–Good Behaviour DorisLessing–The Sirian Experiments IanMcEwan–The Comfort of Strangers AnneSchlee–Rhine Journey MurielSpark–Loitering with Intent DMThomas–The White Hotel

1981 JudgesProfessorMalcolmBradbury(Chair),BrainAldiss,JoanBakewell,SamuelHynes,HermioneLee

www.themanbookerprize.com

About the author SalmanRushdiewasborninBombayinJune1947.Hissecondnovel,theacclaimedMidnight’s Children,waspublishedin1981.ItwontheBookerPrizeforFiction,theJamesTaitBlackMemorialPrize(forfiction),anArtsCouncilWriters’AwardandtheEnglish-SpeakingUnionAward,andin1993wasjudgedtohavebeenthe‘BookerofBookers’,thebestnoveltohavewontheBookerPrizeforFictionintheaward’s25-yearhistory.Hisfourthnovel,The Satanic Verses(1988),leadtotheIranianleadershipissuingafatwaagainsthim.DespitethefatwathenovelwasshortlistedfortheBookerPrizeandwontheWhitbreadNovelAwardin1988.SalmanRushdiecontinuedtowriteandpublishbooks,includingachildren’sbook,Haroun and the Sea of Stories(1990)andwasnominatedfortheManBookerInternationalPrizein2007.SalmanRushdiebecameaKBEin2007

Midnight’s Children BornatthestrokeofmidnightonAugust15,1947,attheprecisemomentofIndia’sindependence,theinfantSaleemSinaiiscelebratedinthepressandwelcomedbyPrimeMinisterNehruhimself.ButthiscoincidenceofbirthhasconsequencesSaleemisnotpreparedfor:telepathicpowersthatconnecthimwith1,000other“midnight’schildren”–allbornintheinitialhourofIndia’sindependence–andanuncannysenseofsmellthatallowshimtosniffoutdangersotherscan’tperceive.Inextricablylinkedtohisnations,Saleem’sbiographyisawhirlwindofdisastersandtriumphsthatmirrorthecourseofmodernIndiaatitsmostimpossibleandglorious.

Discussion points • Saleemdescribeshimselfas‘handcuffedto

history’.Whatdoyouthinkthatthismeans,anddoyouthinkthatthisistrueofhim?

• TheproseofMidnight’s Childrenhasadistinctlyfilmicquality.Whydoyouthinkthisis,andwhatwouldbetheimplicationsofmakingafilmofthenovel?

• Saleemmakesmanyerrorsinhisnarrative–bothaccidentalandpurposeful.Whydoyouthinkthathedoesthis,andwhydoeshenotbothertocorrecthismistakes?

• InMidnight’s Children,SalmanRushdieusesatechniqueknownas‘magicalrealism’,whichinvolvesusingmagicalelementsinarealisticsetting.AnexampleofthiswouldbetheMidnight’sChildrenConference,whohavemagicalpowersbutliveinanotherwisenormalworld.WhydoyouthinkthatRushdieusesthistechnique?

• WhatisPadma’sroleinthenovel?

• Whichcharacterdoyouconsidermoresympathetic,ShivaorSaleem?

Other books by Salman RushdieGrimus;Shame;TheJaguarSmile;TheSatanicVerses;HarounandtheSeaofStories;ImaginaryHomelands;TheWizardofOz;TheMoor’sLastSigh;TheGroundBeneathHerFeet,Fury;Midnight’sChildrenScreenplay;ShalimarTheClown;TheEnchantressofFlorence

Further Reading Ulysses–JamesJoyceTheGodofSmallThings–ArundhatiRoyASuitableBoy–VikramSethWhiteTeeth–ZadieSmith

Useful links http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth87http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/offthepage/guide.htm?command=Search&db=/catalog/main.txt&eqisbndata=0099578514http://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/books/20

The Best of the Booker

Readers’ GuidesOscar and Lucindaby Peter CareyPublisher Faber and FaberPaperback RRP £8.99

Winning year 1988

Other shortlisted titles in 1988BruceChatwin–UtzPenelopeFitzgerald–The Beginning of Spring DavidLodge–Nice Work SalmanRushdie–The Satanic Verses MarinerWarner–The Lost Father 1988 JudgesTheRtHonMichaelFoot(chair),SebastianFaulks;PhilipFrenchBlakeMorrison;DrRoseTremain

www.themanbookerprize.com

About the author PeterCareywasborninAustraliainMay1943.HewontheBookerPrizein1988forOscar and Lucinda(whichhassincebeenmadeintoafilmstarringRalphFiennes)andwasshortlistedin1985withIllywhacker.HewonTheManBookerPrizeforthesecondtimein2001withTrue History of the Kelly GangandwasnominatedfortheManBookerInternationalPrizein2007.HisotherhonoursincludetheCommonwealthWriters’PrizeandtheMilesFranklinLiteraryAward.HenowlivesinNewYorkCitywhereheisthedirectoroftheHunterCollegeprogrammeincreativewriting.

Oscar and Lucinda OscarisayoungEnglishclergymanwhohasbrokenwithhispastanddevelopedadisturbingtalentforgambling.Acountrygirlofsingularambition,LucindamovestoSydney,drivenbydreamsofself-relianceandthebuildingofanindustrialUtopia.Togetherthisunlikelypaircreateandarecreatedbythespectacleofmid-nineteenthcenturyAustralia.

Discussion points • Whatarethesimilaritiesbetween

OscarandLucinda’scircumstancesandcharacters?

• WouldLucindabeappreciatedandunderstoodbettertodaythaninherownlifetime?

• Oscar and Lucindaisfilledwithinnuendoandinsinuationsandthereisrarelyadirectsentence.WhateffectdoesthisindirectstylehaveontheplotandyourinsightintothecharactersofOscarandLucinda?

• ConsidertheturningpointsthroughoutthenovelwhereOscarandLucindahadthechancetomakedifferentchoicesthatcouldhaveledtoahappyending

• MrsWilliamshasacompulsiveneedtobrushherhair,whatdoesthissayabouthercharacterandwhydidPeterCareychosethisparticulartraittodemonstratehispoint?

Other books by Peter Carey Bliss;Illywhacker;OscarandLucinda;TheTaxInspector;TheUnusualLifeofTristanSmith;CollectedStories;TheBigBazoohley;JackMaggs;30DaysinSydney:AWildlyDistortedAccount;TrueHistoryoftheKellyGang;MyLifeasaFake;WrongaboutJapan;Theft:ALoveStory;HisIllegalSelf

Further Reading BeNearMe–AndrewO’HaganIllywhacker–PeterCareyTheTinDrum–GunterGrassTheRiders–TimWinton

Useful links http://www.petercareybooks.com/http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,6000,418708,00.htmlhttp://www.faber.co.ukhttp://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/books/27

The Best of the Booker

Readers’ GuidesThe Conservationistby Nadine GordimerPublisher BloomsburyPaperback RRP £7.99

Winning year 1974

Other shortlisted titles in 1974StanleyMiddleton–Holiday(jointwinner)KingsleyAmis–Ending Up BerylBainbridge–The Bottle Factory Outing CPSnow–In Their Wisdom

1974 JudgesIonTrewin(Chair),ASByatt,ElizabethJaneHoward

www.themanbookerprize.com

About the author NadineGordimerwasborninSprings,inSouthAfricain1923.ShewaseducatedataconventschoolandspentayearatWitwaterstrandUniversity.Sincethen,herlifehasbeendevotedtoherwriting.Herfirstnovel,The Lying Days(1953),wasbasedlargelyonherownlifeandsetinherhometown.In1974,hernovelThe ConservationistwasjointwinneroftheBookerPrizeforFiction.NadineGordimerhasbeenawardedfifteenhonorarydegreesfromuniversitiesinUSA,Belgium,SouthAfrica,andfromYork,OxfordandCambridgeUniversities.ShewasmadeaCommandeurdel’OrdredesArtsetdesLettres,andwasjudgeoftheManBookerInternationalPrizein2007.ShewasalsoafounderoftheCongressofSouthAfricanWriters.In1991shewasawardedtheNobelPrizeforLiterature,andin2007,theChevalierdelaLégiond’Honneur.

The Conservationist Mehringisrich.HehasalltheprivilegesandpossessionsthatSouthAfricahastooffer,buthispossessionsrefusetoremainobjects.Hiswife,son,andmistressleavehim;hisforemanandworkersbecomeincreasinglyindifferenttohisstewardship;eventhelandrisesup,asdrought,thenflood,destroyhisfarm.

Discussion points • Mehringhasacomplexandcontradictory

relationshipwithhisson,Terry.HowdoesthismanifestitselfinthenovelandwhydoesMehringfeelsomuchguilt?

• ‘Rebirthandmortality’isoneofthekeythemesofThe Conservationist,howisthissymbolisedthroughoutthenovel?

• JacobusisMehring’srighthandmanandproveshimselftobeacapablefarmer.IsJacobusloyaltoMehringandistherelationshipmorelikeemployerandemployeeormasterandslave?

• HasThe Conservationist,becauseitissocloselylinkedwithapartheid,lostitspoliticalurgency?

• DoestheburialofthedeadmanfoundonthefarmbringaboutclosureforMehring?

Other books by Nadine Gordimer TheLyingDays;TheSoftVoiceoftheSerpentandOtherStories;SixFeetoftheCountry:ShortStories;AWorldofStrangers;Friday’sFootprint;OccasionforLoving;NotforPublication,TheLateBourgeoisWorld;AGuestofHonour;Livingstone’sCompanions:Stories;SelectedStories;SomeMondayforSure;Burger’sDaughter;ASoldier’sEmbrace;July’sPeople;SomethingOutThere;TheTannerLecturesonHumanValues;Lifetimes:UnderApartheid;ReflectionsofSouthAfrica:ShortStories;TheEssentialGesture:Writing,PoliticsandPlaces;MySon’sStor;CrimesofConscience:SelectedShortStories;JumpandOtherStories;WhyHaven’tYouWritten?;NonetoAccompanyMe;WritingandBeingHarald;ClaudiaandTheirSonDuncanTheHouseGun;LivinginHopeandHistory:NotesFromOurCentury;ThePickup;LootandOtherStories;GetALife;BeethovenWasOne-SixteenthBlackFurther Reading IntheHeartoftheCountry–JMCoetzeeInaFreeState–VSNaipaul

Useful links www.bloomsbury.com/nadinegordimerhttp://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth03D25I553012635618http://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/archive/8

The Best of the Booker

Readers’ GuidesThe Ghost Roadby Pat BarkerPublisher PenguinPaperback RRP £7.99

Winning year 1995

Other shortlisted titles in 1995JustinCartwright–In Every Face I MeetSalmanRushdie–The Moor’s Last SighBarryUnsworth–The Morality PlayTimWinton–The Riders

1995 JudgesGeorgeWaldenMP(Chair),KateKellaway,PeterKemp,AdamMars-Jones,RuthRendell

www.themanbookerprize.com

About the author PatBarkerwasborninYorkshireinMay1943.Herfirstbook,Union Street(1982)wontheFawcettSocietyBookPrize,whilehersecond,Blow Your House Down(1984),wasadaptedforthestagebySarahDanielsin1994.HertrilogyofnovelsabouttheFirstWorldWar,whichbeganwithRegenerationin1991,waspartlyinspiredbyhergrandfather’sexperiencesfightinginthetrenchesinFrance.Regenerationwasmadeintoafilmin1997starringJonathanPryceandJamesWilby.The Eye in the Door(1993),thesecondnovelinthetrilogy,wontheGuardianFictionPrize,andThe Ghost Road(1995),thefinalnovelintheseries,wontheBookerPrizeforFiction.PatBarkerwasawardedaCBEin2000.PatBarkerlivesinDurham.

The Ghost Road 1918,andBillyPriorisinFranceonceagain.Arealtestcaseforthe‘shell-shock’therapiespractisedatCraiglockhartWarHospitalwhere,withWilfredOwen,hewasapatient.Priorexperiencesalate-summeridyll,somedaysofperfectbeauty,beforethefinalbattlesinawarthathasdestroyedmostofhisgeneration.InLondon,Prior’spsychologist,WilliamRivers,tendstohisnewpatients,moreyoungmenwhoselivesandmindshavebeenshattered.AndrememberstheprimitivesocietyonEddystoneIslandwherehestudiedasananthropologistbeforethewar.

Discussion points • Otherthanthefactthathedoesnotknow

whatelsetodowithhislife,whydoesBillyPriorreturntotheFrontforthefourthtime?

• ‘Struggle’isoneofthekeythemesofThe Ghost Road,considerhowthenovelportraystheinternalandexternalstrugglesofBillyPrior,DrRivers,NjiruandthevillagersandthepatientsinDrRivers’care.

• WorldWarIFranceandMelanesiaarecomparedthroughoutthenovel,whatparallelscanbedrawnbetweenthewarinFranceandthe‘war’onEddystone?

• DrRiversisanenigma;moretimeisspentexploringhischaracterthroughflashbacksofhisworkonEddystonethanhispresentlife.DoesDrRiversknowwhathewantsfromlife,didhepreferhislifeonEddystoneorathomeinBritain?

• Whatistheimpactonthereaderofflippingthenarrationbackandforthbetweenthefirstandthethirdperson?

Other books by Pat Barker UnionStreet;BlowYourHouse;TheCentury’sDaughter;TheManWhoWasn’tThere;Regeneration;TheEyeintheDoor;TheGhostRoad;AnotherWorld;BorderCrossing;DoubleVision;LifeClass

Further Reading PenguinBookofFirstWorldWarProse–JohnGloverandJonSilkinBirdsong–SebastianFaulksThreeDayRoad–JosephBoydenAllQuietontheWesternFront–ErichMariaRemarque

Useful links http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,,459394,00.html#article_continuehttp://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth15http://readers.penguin.co.uk/nf/Search/QuickSearchProc/1,,the%20ghost%20road,00.html?id=the%20ghost%20roadhttp://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/books/35

The Best of the Booker

Readers’ GuidesThe Siege of Krishnapurby J. G. FarrellPublisher OrionPaperback RRP £7.99

Winning year 1973

Other shortlisted titles in 1973BerylBainbridge–The Dressmaker ElizabethMavor–The Green EquinoxIrisMurdoch–The Black Prince

1973 JudgesKarlMiller(Chair),MaryMcCarthy,EdnaO’Brien

www.themanbookerprize.com

About the author JGFarrellwasborninLiverpoolinJanuary1935.In1956hewenttostudyatBrasenoseCollege,Oxford;itwaswhiletherehecontractedpolio.Hedrewheavilyonhisexperienceforhissecondnovel,The Lung(1965).Hisnovel,Troubles(1970),thefirstintheEmpiretrilogy,wontheFaberMemorialPrizein1971.AfilmversionofTroubleswasmadeforBritishtelevisionin1988.ThesecondintheEmpiretrilogy,The Siege of Krishnapur(1973)wontheBookerPrize.JGFarrelldiedin1979.

The Siege of Krishnapur India,1857–theyearoftheGreatMutiny,whenMuslimsoldiersturnedintobloodyrebellionontheirBritishoverlords.TheSiegeofKrishnapurissetinanisolatedVictorianoutpostonthesubcontinent.Rumoursofstrifefilterinfromafarandyetthemembersofthecolonialcommunityremainsconfidentoftheirmilitaryandaboveall,moralsuperiority.Butwhentheyfindthemselvesunderactualsiege,thetruecharacteroftheirdominion–atoncebrutal,blundering,andwistful–issoonrevealed.

Discussion points • DoyouagreewitharecentreviewofThe

Siege of Krishnapurthatsaid“AnovelsetinIndiain1857,theyearoftheMutiny,inwhichthepointsofviewoftheIndiansarealmostnonexistent,wouldbeunlikelytowintheManBookerprizethesedays.”

• TowhatextentdoyouthinkthatFleury’scharacterisasymbolofthechangingtimesinwhichhelives?

• Whatparallelscanbedrawn,asthesiegeprogresses,betweenthebehaviourofthedomesticateddogsandtheBritishCommunitymembers?

• The Siege of Krishnapurhasamoreformalstyleofwritingcomparedtothatofmanycontemporarynovels,withlongsentencesanddescriptivepassages.Didthishaveanimpactonyourapproachtoreadingthenovel?

• WhatdoestheJGFarrellfeelaboutbureaucracy?Howdoeshedemonstratehisfeelings?

Other books by JG Farrell AManFromElsewhereTheLungAGirlintheHeadTroublesTheSingaporeGripTheHillStation

Further Reading StayingOn–PaulScottLadysmith–GilesFodenWhiteMoghuls–WilliamDalrymple

Useful links http://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/books/11