Pauls all the way down: Here’s the 2023 Booker Prize shorlist.

The era of the Jonathans may be over, but could we be embarking on the age of the Pauls? Today, the Booker Prizes announced their 2023 shortlist, a full 50% of which was written by people named Paul. On the other hand, only one British writer, Chetna Maroo, and only two women, Maroo and Sarah Bernstein, made the list.

Here’s the shortlist:

Sarah Bernstein, Study for Obedience
Jonathan Escoffery, If I Survive You
Paul Harding, This Other Eden
Paul Lynch, Prophet Song
Chetna Maroo, Western Lane
Paul Murray, The Bee Sting

This year’s judges are novelist Esi Edugyan (chair); actor, writer and director Adjoa Andoh; poet, lecturer, editor and critic Mary Jean Chan; Professor James Shapiro; and actor and writer Robert Webb. The winner of the £50,000 prize will be announced November 26, 2023.