The Man Booker prize is getting more international in scope and shaking up the list of contenders for Britain's highest literary honor with an injection of new names.
Seven different countries are represented among the thirteen nominees for this year's prize, including places such as Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Canada and Malaysia.
There are also a healthy number of first time novelists among the potential winners, with NoViolet Bulawayo ("We Need New Names"), Eve Harris ("The Marrying of Chani Kaufman") and Donal Ryan ("The Spinning Heart") all receiving attention for their debut novels.
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In fact, only two writers Jim Crace ("Harvest") and Colm Tóibín ("The Testament of Mary") have previously appeared on Man Booker shortlists.
All this new blood comes after the prize's judges stuck with the tried and true last year and handed out the award to Hilary Mantel for her novel "Bring Up the Bodies," making her the first woman and Briton to win the Man Booker twice.
Other authors of note who were singled out by the judges include Colum McCann for "TransAtlantic" and Jhumpa Lahiri for "The Lowland." The longlist was whittled down from over 150 works of literature.
A shortlist will be announced on Sept. 10, 2013 and the winner will be announced on Oct. 15, 2013.
Five Star Billionaire, Tash Aw
We Need New Names, NoViolet Bulawayo
The Luminaries, Eleanor Catton
Harvest, Jim Crace
The Marrying of Chani Kaufman, Eve Harris
The Kills, Richard House
The Lowland, Jhumpa Lahiri
Unexploded, Alison MacLeod
TransAtlantic, Colum McCann
Almost English, Charlotte Mendelson
A Tale for the Time Being, Ruth Ozeki
The Spinning Heart, Donal Ryan
The Testament of Mary, Colm Tóibín