Spy the Booker Victor
The Untouchable,
John Banville's 1997
roman-à-clef novelisation of the life of the spy Anthony Blunt, is the book chosen for discussion this month by The Guardian's
book club; and the author will be discussing it in the Guardian
newsroom on Wednesday, February 22nd. Doors open at 6.30pm and entry costs £7. To reserve a ticket call 020 7886 9281 or email book.club@guardian.co.uk
Hermione in the chair
Hermione Lee has been appointed chairmanwomanperson of the judges for the
Man Booker Prize 2006.
She is possibly the youngest ever chairmanwomanperson as she won't be celebrating her 16th birthday until February 29th, 2008, according to
Wikipedia (so it must be true). She knows the ropes though, having previously been a judge in
1981:
"When I was one of the judges of the Booker Prize 25 years ago, it was a great excitement to award it to a dazzling, little-known writer,
Salman Rushdie," she told the
Torygraph. While according to the
Times she also thinks it would be better if the judges read the books without knowing who the authors are - quite right too!
Top marks to
Perry Middlemiss, whose list of
possibles for the shortlist is up already. More
books I haven't read yet!
