2024 Booker longlist includes ‘James’ and ‘Wandering Stars’

The Booker Prize longlist has been announced, featuring 13 titles, six of which are by American authors, including Tommy Orange's "Wandering Stars," which explores 150 years of a Native American family's history. Rita Bullwinkel's "Headshot" follows eight teenagers competing for a boxing championship, while Percival Everett's "James" retells "Huckleberry Finn" from Jim's perspective. Claire Messud's "This Strange Eventful History" delves into inherited lore, and Colin Barrett's "Wild Houses" is a thriller set in Ireland. Sarah Perry's "Enlightenment" draws inspiration from her upbringing and explores religious convictions. Hisham Matar's "My Friends" focuses on a deadly demonstration in 1984, while Anne Michaels' "Held" examines love in the context of war. Richard Powers' "Playground" explores the ocean, and Yael van der Wouden's "The Safekeep" is a historical novel set after World War II. Charlotte Wood's "Stone Yard Devotional" depicts a woman's retreat from climate despair, and Rachel Kushner's "Creation Lake" features an FBI spy infiltrating an environmental group. Samantha Harvey's "Orbital" offers a glimpse into life on the International Space Station.