40 years of Booker prize judges dishing the dirt

[Nearly Sane]

Fascinating stuff.


https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/sep/06/bookerprize.40years

[Steve H]

A mere 13 years after publication!
I've read one-and-a-half Booker winners: 'Schindler's Ark' by Thomas Kennealy, which won outright in 1982, and 'Sacred Hunger' by Barry Unsworth, which shared the prize with 'The English Patent' by Michael Ondaatje in 1992.

[Robbie]

I read

[Aruntraveller]

I've read more than I realised: Heat & Dust, Midnight's Children, Staying On, The Line of Beauty, The Blind Assassin and The God of Small Things.

As I look at it there is quite a sub-continent bias going on.

[jeremyp]

As I look at it there is quite a sub-continent bias going on.

Since, for most of its history, the Booker prize has been open only to people who are citizens of the Commonwealth and Indians form a sizeable proportion of Commonwealth citizens (more than half, in fact), all else being equal, we would expect Indians to win the prize more than half of the time. Of course, all else is not equal.

[Aruntraveller]

Since, for most of its history, the Booker prize has been open only to people who are citizens of the Commonwealth and Indians form a sizeable proportion of Commonwealth citizens (more than half, in fact), all else being equal, we would expect Indians to win the prize more than half of the time. Of course, all else is not equal.

I realise that. I only meant there is a bias going on in my own reading habits.

[Alan Burns]

I recall browsing in a well established bookshop in Thirsk.   The owner advised me to stay clear of the Booker prize winners and look in the section devoted to younger readers - "far more enjoyable reads", he said.  And I had to agree with him!

[Robbie]

I read

?

I have read lots of Booker prize winners or shorlisted often because they are widely reviewed so I know what int getting into.   Most of the time  .