A History of the Booker Prize: Contemporary Fiction Since 1992
ISBN: 9781003180968
Platform/Publisher: Taylor & Francis / Routledge
Digital rights: Users: Unlimited; Printing: Unlimited; Download: Unlimited



In this book, Merritt Moseley offers a brief history of the Booker Prize since 1992. With a short chapter covering each year, we follow the change in criteria, the highs and lows, short lists, winners, and controversies of the Booker Prize. The book also functions as an example of literary criticism for each of the books involved, analyzing the judging process and the winning books.

Exploring themes such as literary vs. popular fiction, the role of Postcolonial work in what began as a very "British" prize, the role of marketing, publishing, and the Booker organization itself, the book offers a crucial view into literary prize culture. The book spends time looking at exclusions, as well as the overall role and function of the literary prize. What books aren't included and why? Why has the Booker become so significant?

This book will be of use to anyone with an interest in, or studying, contemporary literature, literary prizes, literary culture and British literature, as well as publishing studies.


Merritt Moseley is an Emeritus Professor of English. He is the author of critical books on Kingsley Amis, Julian Barnes, Michael Frayn, Jonathan Coe, and Pat Barker and is editor of volumes on British and Irish novelists since 1960, Booker Prize novels, and the academic novel. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina.

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