NONE OF the three Irish authors long-listed for the Man Booker Prize made the shortlist last night.
Despite being one of the early favourites, Colm Tóibín's latest novel Brooklyn, about an Irish emigrant to the United States, was surprisingly not picked.
Former Irish Timesforeign correspondent Ed O'Loughlin's first novel Not Untrue and Not Unkind, itself a chronicle of life in Africa as a foreign correspondent, was similarly unsuccessful.
William Trevor, who had previously made the shortlist on four occasions, did not make it this time for his recently published novel Love and Summer.
O’Loughlin said: “Being nominated would have meant a huge increase in sales as a first-time writer like myself who is trying to make a career of it. From that point of view it would have been very good.
“I haven’t got around to reading any of the books on the shortlist. I’m sure they are great books and I wouldn’t have any complaints. It was good to get on the longlist. Sales go up a lot in relative terms when you get on the longlist. It is a big boost in terms of prestige.”
Neither Tóibín nor Trevor was available for comment. All three authors are published by Penguin.
The company’s Irish managing director Michael McLoughlin said: “Naturally we can’t help but be disappointed. We never assume anything despite what the bookies say.
“At the end of the day, everybody has their opinion. The Man Booker Prize is what it is.”
However, there has been some good news for an Irish writer. The Crime Writers' Association has nominated Dublin journalist Gene Kerrigan's book Dark Times In The City(Harvill Secker) for a Gold Dagger award, reports Tim O'Brien.
Other nominees include: Kate Atkinson: When Will There Be Good News?; Mark Billingham: In the Dark; Lawrence Block: Hit and Run; William Broderick: A Whispered Name; MR Hall: The Coroner. The final award will be announced on October 21st.
