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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Sarah Crown

Favourites fall at the Booker second hurdle

We're hanging our heads in shame over here after confidently trumpeting our Booker predictions this morning - and getting absolutely nowhere near the mark. The real shortlist looks like this:

The Sea by John Banville

Arthur & George by Julian Barnes

A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

The Accidental by Ali Smith

On Beauty by Zadie Smith

Obviously the big story here is McEwan being missed off - who'd have thought it? Julian Barnes, the other bookies' favourite, has made it through to the second round, along with Kazuo Ishiguro and Zadie Smith - but no Rushdie or Coetzee. The inclusion of outsider Sebastian Barry was also unexpected. Surprise all round, in fact. What do you think? You can read the story here in full.

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