The Best of the Booker

The Best of the Booker was a special prize awarded in commemoration of the Booker Prize's 40th anniversary in 2008. Eligible books included the 41[A] winners of the Booker Prize since its inception in 1968.[1] The six shortlisted titles were announced on 12 May 2008 and were chosen by novelist Victoria Glendinning, broadcaster Mariella Frostrup and Professor of English at University College London John Mullan.[2] Among the nominees were the only two authors at that time to have won the Booker twice, Peter Carey and J. M. Coetzee, nominated for their novels Oscar & Lucinda (1988) and Disgrace (1999) respectively.[2]

The winner, as chosen by a public vote, was Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children, and was announced on July 10 at the London Literature Festival.[3] Midnight's Children not only won the 1981 Booker, but also the special 1993 Booker of Bookers prize, which commemorated the award's 25th anniversary.[1]

The shortlisted titles were:

Notes

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  • A The Booker prize was shared between two authors in 1974 and 1992, thus generating 41 winners in 39 years.

References

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  1. ^ a b Pauli, Michelle (21 February 2008). "Best of the Booker' pits Rushdie against 40 pretenders". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2008.
  2. ^ a b "The Best of the Booker shortlist announced". The Man Booker Prizes. 12 May 2008. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2008.
  3. ^ "Rushdie wins Best of Booker prize". BBC News. 10 July 2008.
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