Booker Prize Season

As summer winds down, thoughts turn to the fall announcements of literary prizes. The longlist for the 2011 Man Booker Prize for Fiction - the ‘Man Booker Dozen' was announced on the 26th of July. The 13 books on the list include: one former Man Booker Prize winner; two previously shortlisted writers and one longlisted author; four first time novelists and three Canadian writers. The list includes: Julian Barnes The Sense of an Ending; Sebastian Barry On Canaan's Side; Carol Birch Jamrach's Menagerie; Patrick deWitt The Sisters Brothers ; Esi Edugyan Half Blood Blues; Yvvette Edwards A Cupboard Full of Coats; Alan Hollinghurst The Stranger's Child; Stephen Kelman Pigeon English; Patrick McGuinness The Last Hundred Days; A.D. Miller Snowdrops; Alison Pick Far to Go; Jane Rogers The Testament of Jessie Lamb; D.J. Taylor Derby Day. The shortlist of six authors will be announced on September 6 and the winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize for Fiction will be announced on Tuesday October 18, 2011.

The four first time novelists on the list are Stephen Kelman, A.D. Miller, Yvvette Edwards and Patrick McGuinness. Canadian author Alison Pick, like McGuinness, is a published poet and is joined by fellow Canadians, Patrick deWitt and Esi Edugyan, on the longlist.
The list includes one former winner, Alan Hollinghurst, who won the prize in 2004 for The Line of Beauty. He was also shortlisted in 1994 for The Folding Star. Two previously shortlisted authors also make the list: Irish writer Sebastian Barry (The Secret Scripture, 2008 and A Long Long Way, 2005) and Julian Barnes (Arthur and George, 2005, England, England, 1998 and Flaubert's Parrot, 1984). Carol Birch was longlisted in 2003 for Turn Again Home.

Thursday August 18: 10th Anniversary Celebration! Native singing group, silent auction, special displays and judging of Room in a Box and Lego creations, model train display, Nola McConnan author/illustrator of ABC Muskoka for interactive book reading and signing, cake, refreshments ...all to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening of The Norma and Miller Alloway Muskoka Lakes Library in Port Carling! Drop in and join the celebrations that are happening all day! Don't forget to sign the Guest Book while you are here!

Friday August 19 for ages 8-108 yrs 1:00-4:00pm Painting Classes with Nancy Hunter $35 Pre-register at the library.

Saturday August 20 for adults 10:00-12:00 pm Native walking-stick workshop. Sponsored by Friends of Muskoka Lakes Public Library.Facilitated by storyteller Priscilla Yellowhead Tobey of Saugeen Territory. $40 Pre-register at the library 705-765-5650

Wednesday August 24 for 3-7 year olds 10:45-11:30 Muskoka Reads! Story time The people that supply emergency ambulance services to the area are this week’s guests. Their mascot, BandAide Beaver will be here too! After the story, participants will be invited to explore the ambulance.