Orange and Booker International Longlists

The always helpful Publishers Marketplace Automat points me to the nominees for both the Orange and Booker International prizes. Once again I find myself looking at the lists and realizing I’ve read almost none of the authors. I have read (and love!) Toni Morrison, but not yet the nominated A Mercy. I almost read Peter Carey’s True History of the Kelly Gang once—it’s still in a pile waiting to be read, but I can’t remember what bumped it from first position. I’m about 20 pages into Gilead, not really enough to say I’ve read Robinson, and the Orange nomination is for Home anyway. I read part of a Naipaul book once, but got frustrated with it and never went back. While I’m not sure who to root for for either prize, I do always look forward to both lists as a reminder of what I mean to read. How many of these have you read (because a book list is always grounds for a competition!)? Who are you rooting for? Anyone want to suggest any of these to add to my piles for that magical someday when I need something new to read and haven’t got anything lined up?

-Lauren