It's the fault of male academics on the judging panels, says author Louise Doughty, one of tonight's Booker judges. They pick the literary and the obscure to impress their colleaguesOne of the judges of this year's Man Booker Prize has launched an outspoken attack on male academics who sit on literary judging panels, ahead of the award ceremony tonight. Louise Doughty, who has written five novels, said such men should not be invited on to judging panels as they "always have their eye on their reputations" and are too concerned with picking a "highbrow" author rather than a readable one. She added that they tended to made judgements based on "how well the winning book reflected on them", often choosing the most obscure and self-consciously highbrow novelist, rather than considering the best entry."I don't think it's a good idea to have academics as judges on these prizes," she said. "Academics always have their eye on their reputations and always have a vested interest to pick someone as literary and obscure as possible. I think academics are always looking over their shoulder. Academics automatically feel it [the choice of Booker winner] will reflect on their career," she said.While widely considered to be the pinnacle of literary accomplishment, popularly acclaimed writers such as Sebastian Faulks, Mark Haddon and Robert Harris have never won the Booker. Critics like Doughty believe it is those authors' accessibility which counts against them.
One of the judges of this year's Man Booker Prize has launched an outspoken attack on male academics who sit on literary judging panels, ahead of the award ceremony tonight.
Louise Doughty, who has written five novels, said such men should not be invited on to judging panels as they "always have their eye on their reputations" and are too concerned with picking a "highbrow" author rather than a readable one. She added that they tended to made judgements based on "how well the winning book reflected on them", often choosing the most obscure and self-consciously highbrow novelist, rather than considering the best entry.
"I don't think it's a good idea to have academics as judges on these prizes," she said. "Academics always have their eye on their reputations and always have a vested interest to pick someone as literary and obscure as possible. I think academics are always looking over their shoulder. Academics automatically feel it [the choice of Booker winner] will reflect on their career," she said.
While widely considered to be the pinnacle of literary accomplishment, popularly acclaimed writers such as Sebastian Faulks, Mark Haddon and Robert Harris have never won the Booker. Critics like Doughty believe it is those authors' accessibility which counts against them.
