Booker Prize shortlist 2022
(Picture: David Parry)The Booker Prize Foundation is being accused of snobbery for its treatment of a local book group invited to help judges this year.
On Tuesday, the Foundation held a party at the Serpentine Gallery to announce the six novels shortlisted for its prestigious literary award. Representatives from six regional book clubs were invited. Each group will read one of the shortlisted novels alongside the judges as they decide which author should win the £50,000 prize money.
During a speech announcing the shortlisted books, the director of Booker Prize Foundation, Gaby Wood, introduced the various book clubs to an audience of writers, publishers and journalists.
Wood heaped particular praise on a group from Lincolnshire called the Scunthorpe Pageturners for having “a steelworker and a dinner lady among your midst”. She then chuckled, as did some in the crowd. “And a man! That’s the other thing — much more rare,” she added, triggering more laughter from the audience.
A short video of this part of her speech has been posted online, drawing angry comments. There has been consternation at Wood’s apparent surprise that people with these jobs are keen readers.
Kerry Wilkinson, a British author, branded the incident “embarrassing, condescending - and exactly how much of the industry sees the working class”.
This is the @TheBookerPrizes shortlist announcement, highlighting the apparent comedic novelty of a book club from Scunthorpe having members who are a steel worker & dinner lady.
— Kerry Wilkinson (@kerrywk) September 7, 2022
It's embarrassing, condescending - and exactly how much of the industry sees the working class 🚮 pic.twitter.com/VDVt2W0xwR
A number of book clubs submitted applications to help with this year’s prize, describing their origins, membership and reading habits. The judging panel whittled them down to a final six. “The process of reading these was extraordinary, and extraordinarily heartening, and I really want to thank every single one of them for applying and for giving us a window onto their habits,” said Wood.
She also commended a Glasgow group who made the final six: “I believe you bake cakes to match the books – that was what sold it to us!”
Introducing a club from Devon, Wood noted “you are NHS workers,” raising cheers from the crowd.
In October, the foundation will hold another event to announce the winner of this year’s prize. One of the six book groups will be invited to attend.
Previous winners of the Booker Prize include Bernadine Evaristo, Margaret Atwood and Sir Salman Rushdie.
