On the Booker Prize (Tuesday October 6th 2009)
I failed miserably in my attempt to read all the Booker novels before the winner was announced. I manged to read Sarah Walters The Little Stranger and J.M Coetzee Summertime. However, I think I’ll plod on and read the other four as soon as I can. I normally buy the shortlist when they are in paperback and this year in purchasing the hardback shortlist, I felt I wanted to be much more involved in the event itself. I’m sure that it will feel much more relvant to read the rest closer to the ceremony than waiting to read them as next year’s summer reading.
As I was interested in watching the ceremony, I was disappointed that the ceremony wasn’t broadcast live, either on television or radio. I am now getting used to that XFactor/Britian’s Got Talent sense of anticpation of waiting for winner’s announcements, and would have liked to have felt like I had experienced the Booker in a similar way. Robert McCrum discusses this in an article in The Observer.
Why my interest in the Booker? It is my view that a group of people have taken the time to read many books, and in their view these six books are worth reading. On their reccomendation, I feel I want to read them.
Further Information
Robert McCrum on the televising of the Man Booker Prize
Julie Raby 