Percival Everett and Samantha Harvey are the top picks to win the 2024 Booker prize. Everett, an American author, is the favorite at Ladbrokes with 2/1 odds for his novel James, which reimagines Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from a new perspective. William Hill also gives 2/1 odds to British writer Samantha Harvey for her book Orbital, about astronauts on the International Space Station. Harvey leads in sales, with nearly 29,000 copies of Orbital sold in the UK this year.
Rachel Kushner follows Harvey and Everett with odds of 9/2 for her novel Creation Lake, which tells the story of an American spy infiltrating an eco-activist group in France. Canadian author Anne Michaels is a contender with her book Held, exploring themes of trauma and memory.
The outsider is Charlotte Wood, author of Stone Yard Devotional, set in an Australian religious community. Yael van der Wouden’s debut novel The Safekeep delves into postwar Netherlands’ Jewish history.
Bookmakers have been accurate in recent years, predicting winners like Paul Lynch and Damon Galgut. The Booker Library, launching at Waterstones, will showcase over 600 Booker prize-nominated books for readers to explore.
To get all six shortlisted books for £70, visit guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
Vocabulary List:
- Contender /kənˈtɛndər/ (noun): A person or team competing for a title or honor.
- Reimagines /ˌriːɪˈmædʒɪnz/ (verb): To reinterpret or think of something in a new way.
- Exploring /ɪkˈsplɔːrɪŋ/ (verb): Investigating or examining something in detail.
- Showcase /ˈʃoʊkeɪs/ (verb): To display or present something in an attractive way.
- Nominees /ˈnɒmɪniːz/ (noun): Individuals or groups that have been formally proposed for a position or award.
- Community /kəˈmjuː.nɪ.ti/ (noun): A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
