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Nicholas Murray's avatar

What I like about the Ackerley prize (I seem to recall going to a PEN summer party in Notting Hill where Peter Parker delivered the result to us down in the garden from a balcony on the first floor like a demagogue haranguing the crowd) is that the shortlist generally seems to gather books of substance that one might want to read unlike some shortlists I could mention. PS Peter Parker is not of course a tin-pot dictator!!!

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Ann Kennedy Smith's avatar

A very enjoyable post, Michael, and I look forward to hearing more about the Ackerley Prize, and your discreet behind-the-scenes observations of the judging process... I reviewed Marina Warner's memoir for the TLS a couple of years ago, and thought it was great, of course. So I was gratified to spot my name on the back of the paperback edition, rather than just the (admittedly grander) designation 'TLS' - though I suppose that fits with its former tradition of anonymous reviewers.

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