Booker Prize open to all - thoughts?

10 years ago

Well, not quite open to all - but as Vee pointed out on the shortlist thread, it is now open to any book published in English in the UK - which means - shock! horror! - that Americans can enter!

I'm not at all sure what I think about this. It seems to change the whole sort of "feel" of the Booker - the English and Commonwealth has a sort of homely feel about it - but yet, isn't that just a bit insular? On the other hand, how seriously do the Yanks take the Booker, compared to, say, the Pulitzer?

My first reaction was "How are the judges ever going to read all the books?" But it seems that the Booker Foundation has also changed the criteria for entering books; so the judges will have about as many books as they do at the moment. But doesn't that mean the range will be more limited?

Thoughts?

Here is a link that might be useful: Even Americans can enter...!

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Comments (8)

annpan
10 years ago
I notice that Howard Jacobson is against the idea.
I am now going to display sheer bluddy-mindedness by saying that I think it is a good scheme with merit.
I cannot stand that man! He comes over as such a pretentious snob!
kathleen_se
10 years ago
I like the Booker Prize because it brings forward books that as an American I might not hear about. So, selfishly for me, I'd prefer it remains as is. While I'm not incredibly old (OK, late 50s) I am getting annoyed that everything is becoming globalized.
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Jan - I have some sympathy with you about McEwan, I have to admit. But aren't all writers a bit formulaic? However, I can't let your assertion about "the ever increasing paucity of the Booker selections" go unchallenged. This year has not been a bad selection by any means; last year was a bit disappointing (all statements IMHO, of course!) - but the year before was quite marvellous. John Banville won with The Sea, The Sea and Julian Barnes, Kazuo Ishiguro, Ali Smith, Zadie Smith and Sebastian Barry were all shortlisted - and McEwan actually missed the shortlist that year with Saturday - a book that plenty of people reckoned was good enough to win. There were five quite marvellous novels out of the six on the shortlist. The year before that, Cloud Atlas was on the shortlist - that book in itself is one I would set against your statement about the paucity of modern literature. People forget that in the "good old days" there was also a hell of a lot of trash too. Perhaps your idea of waiting a few years and see which ones survive is a good one. Me, I think the Booker shortlist is normally a fairly good pointer to at least some of the future classics.
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The Secret River - it's pretty good, but it's just another story about a convict who is transported to Australia and makes good. Also had an annoying affectation of putting all the dialogue in italics, rather than the usual quote marks or dashes. I'm used to italics being used for what people think, so it wasn't easy to read. I enjoyed the book, but I'd be astonished if it wins. I have to say that I think it's a fairly weak short-list this year. My own personal favourite is Carry Me Down, which stands out head-and-shoulders better than any of the others. But others will almost certainly disagree with me. I thought The Testament of Gideon Mack was at least as good as most of the books on the short-list, and I also liked Black Swan Green - though I can see why they wouldn't want both BSG and Carry Me Down on the shortlist. I'm certainly not thrilled enough by any of them to risk a bet. Anyway, I'm told the result will be live on the 10:00 news on the BBC. Looking forward to it, but not with the same sense of anticipation as I felt for the last two years. Last year was an exceptional short-list, and the year before had Cloud Atlas which I still feel is one of the best books of the last ten years, and should have won the Booker. I'm going to re-read The Night Watch as it's a while since I read it - just to be fair. So, in summary:- Desai, Kiran: The Inheritance of Loss A bit wordy, but I quite liked it. Confusing as to dates. Can't see this winning. Grenville, Kate: The Secret River A good yarn, but not what I'd look for in a Booker winner. Hyland, M.J: Carry Me Down My personal favourite - a powerful story about a family in Ireland, and the consequences when a young boy finds out more than he ought to know. I hope this wins. Matar, Hisham: In the Country of Men Probably my second favourite - a powerful story of a young boy in Libya under Gaddafi. I'd be quite happy if this wins. St Aubyn, Edward: MotherÂs Milk A horrible book. Well written, but not a single nice person among any of the characters. I am so sick of books about rich people's problems. I bet this one wins. Sigh. Waters, Sarah: The Night Watch A good book about the relationship between four women during the war. Written "backwards", so to speak - we find out what happened later in the war, and only later in the book do we find out how they got there. The favourite, and already a best-seller. I don't think it'll win, though I wouldn't be upset if it did.
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yoyobon_gw
10 years ago
Here is an exerpt from the official Booker Man site:

"The prize, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2008 after launching in 1969, aims to promote the finest in fiction by rewarding the best novel of the year written by a citizen of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland."

Okay.........WHY change the whole premise?

I understand the " every kid is equal and every one has to get a trophy" epidemic that seems to be sweeping our country ...but let's leave some things alone.
bookmom41
10 years ago
The US already has the Pulitzer and the National Book awards. I agree with Kathleen--the Booker brings to our attention books which otherwise may not get noticed here. Also, I think "Yanks" who read and follow literature prizes take the Booker as seriously as any other prize; certainly some will be disappointed that the Booker seems to be changing what made it unique.
kkay_md
10 years ago
I am a Yank and prefer that the Booker retain its niche and flavor; it is a prestigious prize on the order of the Pulitzer and the National Book Awards (in my thinking) and I don't want to see it watered down or altered. I don't understand the trend towards free-for-all.
bookmom41
10 years ago
My other thought is that by expanding the parameters of eligibility for entrants, the end result will be the duplication of books in the running for the various prizes...I guess I should say the duplication will increase, since it already occurs. Jhumpa Lahiri's The Lowland is on the Booker and the National Book lists; bet it shows up on the Women's Prize next.
woodnymph2_gw
10 years ago
I completely agree with Kathleen. Keep it the way it is. Why must everything be globalized?
martin_z
Original Author
10 years ago
The more I think about it, the more I think I agree with most of you. Though Kazuo Ishiguro (whom I have a lot of time for) is broadly in favour.

On the other hand, as AnnPan said - if Howard Jacobson is against it, the idea must have some merit :)

At least it's still going to keep it's Englishness - the books have to be published in England. So I can keep collecting my UK first editions of the shortlist.

Booker Prize open to all - thoughts?

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Booker Prize open to all - thoughts?

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