Year of storytellers

A book buyer celebrates the notable titles set to be released throughout this landmark year for literary fiction.

I have never been as bored with fiction as I was in 2008. It was a barren year for novelists, and the only highlights for story-lovers were Jhu-mpa Lahiri’s Unaccustomed Earth, Paul Auster’s Man in the Dark, Ha Jin’s Beijing Coma, and Robert Bolano’s 2666. Even the Booker Prize shortlist last year was, in my opinion, rather lacklustre.