Comments on: I Hate the Booker Prize

By: Booker club: Self Help by Edward Docx

Booker club: Self Help by Edward Docx — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 19:32:23 +0000

[...] the most frequent criticism that I’ve heard about the award is that it is a “white upper-middle class conspiracy” and only really concerned with people and authors who fit into strictly limited [...]

By: An unequal contest

An unequal contest — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 17:51:04 +0000

[...] Oscar And Lucinda are all creditable choices. It may be a very “Bookerish” list, with all that that entails, but what did you expect from a Best of the Booker? It’s hard to have a truly cynical [...]

By: Where is the Booker winning SF? « Damien G. Walter

Where is the Booker winning SF? « Damien G. Walter — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:55:12 +0000

[...] a subject I haven’t been shy coming forward about in the past, having previously stated my hatred for the prize and accusing it of ignorance and bigotry. And this years longlist does nothing to raise my opinion [...]

By: damiengwalter

damiengwalter — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:17:51 +0000

Thanks for your comment Greg. I tend top agree. I think a new novel from Alan Moore might attract some attention. Of all the writers outside the literary mainstream, he’s the most likely to gain that kind of recognition. I would challenge anyone to read From Hell and not be staggered both by his story and Eddie Campbell’s art. Thanks again.

By: greg sheppard

greg sheppard — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:49:12 +0000

i completely agree. i dont think its just the judges (but definately is part of the reason) i think its the way the booker seems so limited in what it sees as ‘literary’ fiction, it pisses me off how so many areas of fiction and writers they just do not considered ‘literature, and clearly see them as beneath their consideration and god help you if you write within a genre.

im an english postgrad and if i could only look at ‘literary’ fiction in the booker model i’d have packed it in a long time ago. as it is my dissertation is on the british comic writers grant morrison, alan moore and warren ellis. each one of those is more entertaining, more creative, more ‘literary’, fantastic writers and their best works are better than pretty much any booker prize winning book (although people should get over thinking watchmen is moore’s best work he has done easily better stuff since that)

Alan Moore is currently writing a novel, something he claims will be his ulysses, whats the betting however fantastic it is (and i expect it will be) it will be ignored. from what i have heard aobut it the novel wont confiorm to their ideas of literary fiction and even more so they’ll look down at him as a comic book writer not an author. bastards

By: Books » Archive » Announcing the Not the Booker prize prize

Books » Archive » Announcing the Not the Booker prize prize — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 11:53:42 +0000

[...] The Booker Prize is a fantastic way to get people talking about books, to promote previously unknown authors and to reward some quality books. Many of the past winners have been stone-cold classics and have enjoyed a much longer shelf life thanks to the prize. But like any important national institution, it also comes in for a lot of stick … Especially on the internet. [...]

By: Vote for our ‘Not the Booker’ prize | We-found-it

Vote for our ‘Not the Booker’ prize | We-found-it — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 01:15:08 +0000

[...] The Booker Prize is a strange artefact to intend grouping conversation most books, to encourage previously uncharted authors and to move whatever calibre books. Many of the instance winners hit been stone-cold classics and hit enjoyed a such individual ridge chronicle thanks to the prize. But aforementioned whatever essential domestic institution, it also comes in for a aggregation of follow … Especially on the internet. [...]

By: The Booker longlist is ignorant and bigoted « . . . Damien G. Walter . . .

The Booker longlist is ignorant and bigoted « . . . Damien G. Walter . . . — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:02:47 +0000

[...] previous years I have compared the Booker judges to the organising committee of a village fete. This year I think it would be fairer to ditch the metaphors and out them as the ethnicaly pure, [...]

By: John Self

John Self — Wed, 14 May 2008 08:38:54 +0000

Most often these days the criticism I read of the Booker Prize is that it's too populist and not highbrow (or 'elitist') enough, so it's interesting to read an opposing view. I don't carry a particular torch for the prize, though I do quite like the whole horse-race aspect of it. I've disliked or been unable to finish several winners. Having said that there are some absolutely terrific books which have been given a dose of publicity by the prize, either from winning or being shortlisted, many of which I may not have read otherwise - like The Remains of the Day, Disgrace, The Master, I'll Go to Bed at Noon and many others.

By: Nigel Beale

Nigel Beale — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 03:48:32 +0000

I hate the Booker too…for raising expectations…recently read past winners Amsterdam and The Sea…pleasant enough…but wildly overrated…not sure about ‘a class’ thing…you British are so hung up on class…more like a personality thing…certainly not a quality thing…