Now incorporating The Sudbury Hill Harrow and Wherever End Times

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Of cats, pigeons and prizegiving

"Why such grudging praise for Sebastian Barry at the Costa Book Awards?

"We had a taste of the marvellous kerfuffle this kind of thing would cause early last year when Zadie Smith, head of the panel for the Willesden Herald's International Short Story Prize 2008, announced that frankly, none of the entries had come up to snuff, so no one would be winning. ... At the time, it caused a furore – but wouldn't the fun of every awards ceremony be increased immeasurably by [...] adding the name 'Ron' to every shortlist: 'Re-Open Nominations'? Either that, or publish a full transcript of the judges' deliberations, and force into the open all the maneouvering and compromises and delicious bitchiness that are currently kept decorously out of view." (Telegraph)

Newsdesk

No comments: