Mantel eyes third top prize for novel Bring Up The Bodies
Hilary Mantel has been shortlisted for another major book prize.
Miss Mantel, 60, has already scooped the Booker and Costa Book Award for her historical sequel Bring Up The Bodies and has been shortlisted for the Women's Prize For Fiction.
She could now become the first author to win all three titles after the novel, part of a planned trilogy on Thomas Cromwell, was shortlisted for the third prize, formerly known as the Orange Prize.
Miss Mantel, who sparked a furore when she described the Duchess of Cambridge as a 'shop-window mannequin' is up against Zadie Smith for London-set NW, her fourth novel, and US writer Barbara Kingsolver for her eighth novel Flight Behaviour.
Both writers could become the first to win the £30,000 prize twice after Kingsolver won with The Lacuna in 2010 and Smith scooped the gong for On Beauty in 2006.
The other writers shortlisted are British author Kate Atkinson for Life After Life and US authors AM Homes for May We Be Forgiven and Maria Semple for Where'd You Go, Bernadette.
Blackadder star Miranda Richardson, who is chair of the judges, said: 'I was very keen to keep a balanced approach about Hilary Mantel because I've heard what we call the "tall poppy syndrome", particularly in Britain, 'you've already had too much you can't have any more. Go away and die now', people being quite vitriolic in some cases...'
THE SHORTLIST
KATE ATKINSON - LIFE AFTER LIFE
A.M. HOMES - MAY WE BE FORGIVEN
BARBARA KINGSOLVER - FLIGHT BEHAVIOUR
HILARY MANTEL - BRING UP THE BODIES
MARIA SEMPLE - WHERE'D YOU GO
ZADIE SMITH - N
The 55-year-old Oscar-nominated actress added: 'I think it's disgusting quite frankly. Because this competition is about excellence for writing...you cannot argue that... I did feel very strongly about that.
'I hoped she would make it through, that we would be in agreement... there was a risk it could go either way.
'I don't think Britain likes success. It's what I call the prodigal son or daughter where you have to go away to come back and be reclaimed...all that rubbish... I'm not sure where it comes from but it's dumb. It's the opposite of what should be.'
The winner will be announced on June 5.
Hilary Mantel (right) wins the 2012 Man Booker Prize for her novel 'Bring Up the Bodies' at the Guildhall, London
Miss Mantel, 60, has already scooped the Booker and Costa Book Award for her historical sequel Bring Up The Bodies and has been shortlisted for the Women's Prize For Fiction.
She could now become the first author to win all three titles after the novel, part of a planned trilogy on Thomas Cromwell, was shortlisted for the third prize, formerly known as the Orange Prize.
Miss Mantel, who sparked a furore when she described the Duchess of Cambridge as a 'shop-window mannequin' is up against Zadie Smith for London-set NW, her fourth novel, and US writer Barbara Kingsolver for her eighth novel Flight Behaviour.
Both writers could become the first to win the £30,000 prize twice after Kingsolver won with The Lacuna in 2010 and Smith scooped the gong for On Beauty in 2006.
The other writers shortlisted are British author Kate Atkinson for Life After Life and US authors AM Homes for May We Be Forgiven and Maria Semple for Where'd You Go, Bernadette.
Blackadder star Miranda Richardson, who is chair of the judges, said: 'I was very keen to keep a balanced approach about Hilary Mantel because I've heard what we call the "tall poppy syndrome", particularly in Britain, 'you've already had too much you can't have any more. Go away and die now', people being quite vitriolic in some cases...'
THE SHORTLIST
KATE ATKINSON - LIFE AFTER LIFE
A.M. HOMES - MAY WE BE FORGIVEN
BARBARA KINGSOLVER - FLIGHT BEHAVIOUR
HILARY MANTEL - BRING UP THE BODIES
MARIA SEMPLE - WHERE'D YOU GO
ZADIE SMITH - N
The 55-year-old Oscar-nominated actress added: 'I think it's disgusting quite frankly. Because this competition is about excellence for writing...you cannot argue that... I did feel very strongly about that.
'I hoped she would make it through, that we would be in agreement... there was a risk it could go either way.
'I don't think Britain likes success. It's what I call the prodigal son or daughter where you have to go away to come back and be reclaimed...all that rubbish... I'm not sure where it comes from but it's dumb. It's the opposite of what should be.'
The winner will be announced on June 5.
Hilary Mantel (right) wins the 2012 Man Booker Prize for her novel 'Bring Up the Bodies' at the Guildhall, London
