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Booker bets

It’s Bookermania over in Britain: Tuesday’s shortlist announcement has the press abuzz. The early favourite to win the prize appears to be David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas (which is published here by Vintage Canada); a William Hill bookmaker told Reuters that the novel is “the hottest Booker Prize favourite that we have ever had.”

In other Booker news, The Guardian looks at some of the lucky shortlisted authors, while The Independent highlights some of the judges’ comments about the books they loved and loathed. (No names named in the latter category, alas.)

Finally, earlier this month The Telegraph filed a story about some deceptive marketing, by which publishers slap a deceptive “winner of the Booker Prize” tagline on newer and arguably less accomplished novels by past Booker winners. Says Rowan Pelling, one of this year’s judges: “I think it is massively misleading if this isn’t clarified on a book as it could lead to real bafflement on the reader’s part. It would be good if the industry could regulate this practice in a better way. Book covers in every aspect should be clearer.”

Related links:
Reuters story on Booker oddsmaking
The Guardian‘s story on the Booker shortlist
The Independent‘s story on the Booker shortlist
The Telegraph on the “winner of the Booker Prize” controversy
Q&Q Omni‘s award news page, with item on sourcing this year’s Booker shortlist

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