Article
The Booker shortlist, Seamus Heaney and Stephen Hawking
We talk to Tom McCarthy and Damon Galgut, both shortlisted authors for this year's Man Booker prize. Seamus Heaney reads from his new collection, and Stephen Hawking intervenes in the God debate
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Notice
Message: Undefined property: stdClass::$width
Filename: views/article.php
Line Number: 25
This week's unveiling of the Booker shortlist unleashed a host of questions about the nature of literary fiction – centred in particular on two of the shortlisted books. So we asked both writers to explain themselves. Tom McCarthy gives us a taster of his novel C and explains why, in spite of anything the critics might say, he does not regard it as experimental. Plus, Damon Galgut describes the moment when memory becomes fiction.
We also hear from Stephen Hawking about his new book The Grand Design, and ask a leading commentator what God has got to do with it.
Plus, Seamus Heaney comes to us live from The Poetry Prom 2010 – an annual partnership event presented by The Poetry Trust and Aldeburgh Music - with readings of poems from his chart-topping new collection, Human Chain. You can listen to more from Seamus Heaney at The Poetry Prom on The Poetry Channel at www.thepoetrytrust.org.
Reading List
C by Tom McCarthy (Cape) (Buy it on the Guardian bookshop)
In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut (Atlantic) (Buy it on the Guardian bookshop)
Human Chain by Seamus Heaney (Faber) (Buy it on the Guardian bookshop)
Related Content
User Comments
JamesPlaskett
10 September 2010 2:59PM
Why should we have a debate about God?
In The God Delusion, Dawkins points out that it ought to be possible for a Supreme Being to prove his existence to even the most sceptical mind any time he wants?
So why doesn´t He?
Can´t argue with Dawkins there.
Why should we have a debate about God?
(And I am a Deist.)
Psalmist
10 September 2010 3:01PM
OK if I stick with Thomas the Tank Engine?
More my level and I am less tempted to make accusations of the books selling because a certain type of reader feels they must have them even at the expense of not being able to read them.
AttrocityArchives
10 September 2010 3:28PM
JamesPlaskett,10 September 2010 2:59PM:
Why should we have a debate about God?
In The God Delusion, Dawkins points out that it ought to be possible for a Supreme Being to prove his existence to even the most sceptical mind any time he wants?
So why doesn´t He?
Can´t argue with Dawkins there.
Ah, the argument from atheism, which allows me to state with perfect confidence that there is no omniscient, omnipotent, all-loving deity who wishes me to know that he/she/it exists.
One down, many to go...
NaomiTPT
10 September 2010 3:37PM
An edited 15 minute version of the first half of the Poetry Prom - Seamus Heaney in conversation about his writing life with Michael Laskey (Aldeburgh Poetry Festival founder and fellow poet) - will be available on The Poetry Channel from Saturday 10/9/10 at www.thepoetrytrust.org
urnotanatheist
11 September 2010 8:57AM
Stephen Hawking recently evolved hominid sitting on a tiny speck out in the vastness of the almost infinite cosmos, ponders... does some sums then writes his new best-seller "There is no god" Simples, innit?
BhagwhanBubba
12 September 2010 12:51AM
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn't abide by our community standards. Replies may also be deleted. For more detail see our FAQs.
vigdis
10 September 2010 2:50PM
FFS... I haven't even finished Wolf Hall from last year yet.
too much time spent on CiF.