Here's the shortlist for the Gordon Burn Prize

If you're looking to push the envelope with your next read, the Guardian has a list you might want to consult.

The Gordon Burn Prize, which honors the year's "boldest and most innovative books," has released its shortlist.

The winner receives £5,000 ($6,000) and a three-month retreat at the cottage of the author after whom the award is named.

One of these books will emerge victorious on October 13:

• About a Son, by David Whitehouse.

• Aftermath, by Preti Taneja.

• Case Study, by Graeme Macrae Burnet.

• Constructing a Nervous System, by Margo Jefferson. 

• Free: A Child and a Country at the End of History, by Leah Ypi.

You can read more about these Gordon Burn Prize shortlisted books in the Guardian.