The public are going to have the opportunity to vote via the interweb for the best ever Booker winner after judges have chosen a short list of six.
How exciting to have democracy in action. Will Richard and Judy present it to John Berger for G.? Will Michael Portillo champion Amsterdam? Can anything beat Disgrace? What are the odds of Jim Kelman making the shortlist?
I will sit with fevered breath and bated anticipation for the next few months.
Will Richard and Judy present it to John Berger for G.?
I’d rather see it made their Book of the Month Club choice and then watch the reactions from the faces of the Mail-reading sheeple who buy R. & J.’s recommendations…
– i don’t think i’ve ever heard james kelman called “jim” before: exciting…!
That’s how he signs books (I have a few from the days when I stalked Scottish writers across the country 😉 )
Scott
– no surprise that kelman = down to earth but
after i posted my gomment, i did wonder if he might be a friend of yours…
( – the w.o.agwu vote vote vote in this gategory goes to the old devils by sir kingsley amis )
I’ve met him briefly a couple of times – once at a benefit for the Lawrence family.
I think Disgrace should get it – but I’m a bit of a Coetzee nut. I’d love to see Kelman shortlisted because I don’t know how the general public would react to a disabled guy’s difficulties with the benefit system, and lots of swearing.