Notable Books for 2008

Since 2001, each of our judging panels' chairs for fiction and nonfiction have been given the opportunity to compose a list of Notable Books. These books do not formally make up a "longlist" of semi-finalists for the Prize.  They are, however, books that stood out in a variety of ways among the larger pool of entries over the course of the judging process. The Notable Books also more fully reflect the wide geographical outreach and thematic diversity embraced by the Prize.

Together with this year's winners and finalists, the 2008 Notable Books offer a wide gateway for your literary exploration of the Pacific Rim and South Asia. These engaging books present many paths to understanding the region's fascinating and diverse cultures. We invite you to help us build a wider community of readers who seek to gain new insights about the region and its peoples - please recommend your favorite books from among those presented here to your friends and colleagues!

See the full list of 2008 notable books.