London: Four debut novelists were on Tuesday shortlisted alongside Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga and Ethiopian-American Maaza Mengiste for the Booker Prize for best English-language fiction, to be awarded in November. Dangarembga’s "This Mournable Body", the final part in a trilogy, and "The Shadow King" by Mengiste make up the six-strong shortlist of four women and two men. "The shortlist of six came together unexpectedly, voices and characters resonating with us all even when very different," Margaret Busby, chair of the 2020 judges, said in a statement. The title of best work of English-language fiction published in the United Kingdom and Ireland has launched careers and caused countless arguments since its creation in 1969. Past laureates have ranged from contemporary giants such as Ian McEwan and Julian Barnes to Kazuo Ishiguro and Roddy Doyle.

Source: Ethiopian News September 15, 2020 15:11 UTC