Booker Prize: Classic or Dud?

True. The weird thing here is having four American authors on the shortlist. The sole Brit (Scot, actually) has lived in New York for 25 years. Tsitsi Dangarembga is from Zimbabwe.

I don't think the panel should overthink who wins it.

I suppose they (or any prize) should give it to Mantel if they, a contingent set of readers, think it's the best novel they've read this year. If they don't, don't. And they didn't.

Many people have always been opposed to opening this prize to US authors, and I'm inclined to agree with them.

I'd be surprised if Mantel herself is especially bothered, she's done just fine out of this particular prize.

I wasn't sure about nominating US authors either but Lincoln In The Bardo is one of the two or three best books to have won it in the last decade (the other being A Brief History Of Seven Killings).

Mantel seems gracious and supportive of new writers so I agree.