Some of the 20th century’s top writers didn’t make the shortlist—announced today—for the Best of the Booker awards, among them Iris Murdoch, William Golding and Kingsley Amis. In the running are Sir Salman Rushdie—headlining as favorite for Midnight’s Children—Pat Barker, Peter Carey, J. M. Coetzee, Nadine Gordimer and J. G. Farrell.

Polling opens today to the public.