Booker to Banville The Booker Prize continues its predictable unpredictability as for at least the fourth consecutive year, judges “surprised” everyone in bypassing the favourites, led by Julian Barnes for ARTHUR AND GEORGE, giving the award to Irish author John Banville for THE SEA. In case you haven’t been keeping track, the betting favourites-turned-losers from the previous few years have been David Mitchell (2004), Monica Ali (2003), and William Trevor (2002). But at least they are consistent; in the same period, only one favourite at the preliminary longlist stage (David Mitchell) has even made the shortlist. (Early leaders who were […]