The day

I know not everyone is as interested in contemporary fiction as I am, but then I am not as interested in flowers as others are! However, I thought I would share this set of books (the Booker Longlist which appeared on the Booker website today) with you for two reasons. 

The more eagle-eyed will notice the thinnest book, the shortest book ever to be Booker longlisted. Claire Keegan's 'Small Things Like These'. I know several Blippers have read this wonderful book and I do recommend it to everyone, so short, so thoughtful, so beautifully written. A fine story, but an important underlying theme of personal responsibility. It has already won the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction. Everyone I know is so happy to see it there, as it is a book that everyone should read. It was thought that it was too short for the prize, but thankfully the judges have gone ahead with it. 

The author that a few people might spot is Alan Garner. This was a surprise inclusion, as Alan Garner is mostly known for his children's books. I have several to them as they were well-loved by my own daughters and me and I used them in school. That he can write a book worthy of being on the Booker longlist at the age of 88 gives hope to us all!

Coming up to the announcement was exciting, so much speculation, but in the end it is a great list. Some books that many people thought would be there, some favourites and some big names missed off, several surprises, a good showing of small independent presses. I have read one only, the shortest one! I have two of the others and will start reading them. Others will be bought. That's my summer reading!

And thank you all so much for ideas of using curly kale. We will be trying some of them and I will get back to you with how we have got on.