Booker prize? do you follow its advice?

[Mockingbird_z]

I know that sometimes people choose books to read by consulting with "must read" lists in magazines etc. and what do you think can Booker's appreciacion be a criterion of a good (worthy) book?

[Morten]

I know that sometimes people choose books to read by consulting with "must read" lists in magazines etc. and what do you think can Booker's appreciacion be a criterion of a good (worthy) book?

Well, they aren't complete scum. After all, they did award the prize to writers such as Rushdie, McEwan and Banville. But otherwise I don't much care about the prize. All those prizes and the competition can be harmful to writers.

[aeroport]

I appreciate the controversy it inspires. There will invariably be people who say, "So-and-so should have won because..."
It's really a great opportunity to learn about other books.
:D

[NickAdams]

Huh. No.

[kiki1982]

I used to believe in that kind of prizes until I read a book of someone called 'best debutant' (dutch prize). I couldn't believe what rubbish it was!! It was a good concept to write about, but I couldn't call it good writing. So from then on, I don't care about what prizes who gets, apart from the Nobel Prize.

[Morten]

The Nobel Prize is awful. Strictly politics.

[JBI]

The Nobel Prize is awful. Strictly politics.
You are foolish.

The Booker has some good picks (Rushdie's Midnight's Children and others), but it also picks some mediocre books (anything by Atwood). It all depends, but it is useful in discovering contemporary books.