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The longlist for one of the most prestigious literary awards was announced today, and Macalester College professor Marlon James made the cut.

The Man Booker Prize is awarded annually to an original novel, written in English and published in the United Kingdom. This is only the second year that writers of any nationality have been eligible for the award. Previously, only writers in the British Commonwealth were considered.

A panel of five judges considered 156 novels for the prize, and pared it down to the 13 on the longlist. 

Marlon James' new novel looks at 1970s Jamaica

"A Brief History of Seven Killings" is James' third novel. James is a native of Jamaica, but currently teaches at Macalester in St. Paul. "Seven Killings" has already won an American Book Award and a 

• Bill Clegg, "Did You Ever Have a Family" - 


• Marlon James - "A Brief History of Seven Killings" 


• Laila Lalami, "The Moor's Account" - 


• Andrew O'Hagan, "The Illuminations" - 


• Anuradha Roy, "Sleeping on Jupiter" - 


• Sunjeev Sahota, "The Year of the Runaways" - 


• Anne Tyler, "A Spool of Blue Thread" - 


• Hanya Yanagihara, "A Little Life" - 

The judges will continue to narrow the field. The shortlist of 6 novels will be announced on Sept. 15, and the 2015 winner will be named at a gala in London on Oct. 13.

Arts and Culture

The Thread® - Books and Literary News

Tracy Mumford

Author

The Man Booker Prize is one of the most prestigious literary prizes in the world. This is only the second year that writers from outside the British Commonwealth have been eligible to compete.

Marlon James' 'Seven Killings' on longlist for Man Booker Prize

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