An exciting line-up of authors were announced overnight as longlist contenders for The Man Booker Prize 2015 and we are very proud to say there is a New Zealander on the list!

First awarded in 1969, the prize is recognised as the leading prize for high quality literary fiction written in English. Its past list of winners features many literary giants including Salman Rushdie, Hilary Mantel and Ian McEwan.

Anna Smaill has been given the nod for her novel The Chimes, along side 12 other authors including Anne Tyler, Tom McCarthy and Anne Enright.
Only two New Zealanders have previously won the prize, Eleanor Catton won in 2013 for The Luminaries and Keri Hulme in 1985 for The Bone People .

A shortlist of six books will be announced on Tuesday 15 September, shortlisted authors will each receive £2,500 ($5,800 NZD) and a specially bound edition of their book.

The winner will receive a further £50,000 ($117,000 NZD), announced Tuesday 13 October.

The Man Booker Longlist

A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James

The Chimes by Anna Smaill

Lila by Marilynne Robinson

Did You Ever Have A Family by Bill Clegg

The Green Road by Anne Enright

The Illuminations by Andrew O'Hagan

The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami

Sleeping on Jupiter by Anuradha Roy

Satin Island by Tom McCarthy

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

The Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota

–From The Book Gorilla