Booker judges turn to new voices

[spindrifter]

Times Online September 15, 2006

By Dalya Alberge

COMPETITION for one of the most prestigious prizes in literature was thrown wide open last night after judges excluded three of the favourite authors from the six-strong Man Booker shortlist.

The decision to leave out Peter Carey, Andrew O’Hagan and David Mitchell came as a relief to bookmakers. A large number of bets had been placed on Mitchell, who had also been the bookies’ hottest-ever favourite in 2004, when he was beaten by Alan Hollinghurst. But almost all of the big-name contenders for the prize were left off of the shortlist, having been selected for the initial long-list last month.

Carey, the Australian bestselling novelist, was widely expected to be shortlisted and looked set to break records by winning for a third time. With J. M Coetzee, he is the only author to have won the Booker twice.

Instead, this year’s judges went for six authors who are yet to become household names. One of them is a first-time author, Hisham Matar, a Libyan who has lived in London since 1986. He was chosen for In the Country of Men, a claustrophic story about a young boy growing up in Libya under Colonel Gaddafi’s repressive regime.

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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,923-2358008,00.html

[xchrom]

1. you have to give the tried and true their kudos --

man-booker did the right thing.

prize organizations do the public a HUGE service when they award little known authors.

[spindrifter]

2. Exactly. I enjoy getting

introduced to new talent. I also like the fact that Man-Booker awards to diverse ethnic voices.