Guardian first book award: The shortlist

As the shortlist to this year's Guardian first book prize is announced, we eavesdrop on the discussion of the Waterstone's reading group in Oxford as they decide which books are going to get their vote, and launch a competition that could win you a set of the shortlisted books plus a pair of tickets to the awards ceremony.

In the first of five weekly interviews with the shortlisted authors, we ask Ned Beauman why he decided to write a novel about an aristocratic eugenicist, a nine-toed Jewish boxer and a collector of Nazi memorabilia who smells like a rotten fish.

Meanwhile, Sarah Crown summons an expert panel to discuss what effect the government's comprehensive spending review will have on literature. Joining her in the studio are Viv Bird, head of the charity Booktrust, Gary McKeone, a former literature director of Arts Council England who is a trustee of Poetry London magazine, and the author and commentator John O'Farrell.

Guardian first book prize competition:

Win a set of the shortlisted books plus a pair of tickets to the awards ceremony in December by answering the following questions. Send entries to books.competition@guardian.co.uk by Tuesday November 9.

1. According to the Guardian review of Ned Beauman's novel, Boxer, Beetle, which character says: "When I am in a stressful situation, I often like to ask myself: what would Batman do in my place?"

2. In an extract from Alexandra Harris's Romantic Moderns, published on guardian.co.uk, which English artist wrote: "Whether it is possible to 'go modern' and still be British is a question vexing quite a few people today…"

3. In Hanifa Mohamed's Black Mamba Boy, extracted on Guardian.co.uk , what are the names of Jama's two childhood friends.

4. Who reviewed Kathryn Schulz's Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margins of Error in the Guardian, and who was the Observer's reviewer?

5. In Maile Chapman's Your Presence is Requested at Suvanto, who is the mischief-maker who claims that she likes eating sphincters?

6 What is the special price at which the Guardian Bookshop is selling all five shortlisted books?

You can see the full terms and conditions of the competition here