The nominees for this year's Booker Prize are Avni Doshi, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Douglas Stuart, Maaza Mengiste, Diane Cook and Brandon Taylor.

All but Tsitsi Dangarembga and Maaza Mengiste are debutants and apart from Dangarembga are all American citizens, reports The Guardian.

The fact that the big favorite Hilary Mantel was not included in the final selection surprises many critics.

Part three of her book series about Thomas Cromwell, "The Mirror and the Light" has just been published in Swedish.

The two previous ones, "Wolf hall" and "Bring in the dead" have both been awarded the Booker Prize.

Margaret Atwood won last year

- No one is awarded the Booker Prize because of who it is.

A book is selected for what it conveys, says Gaby Wood, head of the Booker Prize Foundation, which is behind the prize.

The prestigious British Literature Prize has been awarded since 1969 and is awarded each year to the author who, according to the jury, has published the best novel with English as the original language, regardless of the author's nationality.

The prize money is 50,000 pounds (approximately 565,000 kronor).

Last year, two authors were awarded the prize, even though it actually goes against the rules.

Canadian author Margaret Atwood received the award for "Daughters of Gilead" and British author Bernardine Evaristo for "Girl, woman, other".