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The Man Booker Prize is to take full-page ads in the Times as part of its shortlist promotion. One ad a day will be run on each shortlisted title from 22nd September. The ads are part of a promotional campaign described by Man Booker as the "biggest and best", which was revealed following the announcement of the shortlist.
The main surprise of the day was that Salman Rushdie's The Enchantress of Florence was not featured. Rushie, the double winner of the Booker of Booker's prize provoked "engaging and passionate debate", according to the judges. However the judging panel decided that the book was not strong enough to make the final six. "In the opinion of this group it wasn't one of the top six," said Michael Portillo, chair of the judging panel. "I can say that discussions about Rushdie as with all the other books was a discussion about the book, not the author or the context."
Julia Kingsford, marketing manager at Foyles, said that it was a good thing that there were no "big names" on the shortlist. "Often when there is, it puts a disproportionate amount of attention on that book," she said. The judges were eager to emphasise the readability of their chosen titles. James Heneage, founder of Ottakar's bookshops and a member of the panel, said: "I would say to booksellers - this is a really really readable page-turning list."
One of the hotly tipped titles, Netherland by Joseph O'Neill was also denied a place on the shortlist. Instead novels by two debut authors took places in the final six. Steve Toltz and Aravind Adigana have "original minds and original styles", said Portillo. "They both absolutely blow the cobwebs away, plucky, audacious, I might even say alternative."
Despite declaring that the position of chair had been a "great privilege", when asked if he would take part again Portillo said: "No, I would not." "It was certainly enjoyable and it was certainly hard work," he said, but "at times the pressure was really on".
Bookmakers have been hastily recalculating their odds for the shortlisted books, notably relieved that the two favourites had been eliminated at the first hurdle. William Hill has placed Sebastian Barry's The Secret Scripture as favourite at 2/1. Ladbrokes has gone for Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger at 15/8. "It looks like a very open competition with everyone in with a chance," said William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe.
The winner will be announced on Tuesday 14th October at a dinner at London's Guildhall.
The shortlist in full is:
Aravind Adiga The White Tiger
Sebastian Barry The Secret Scripture
Amitav Ghosh Sea of Poppies
Linda Grant The Clothes on Their Backs
Philip Hensher The Northern Clemency
Steve Toltz A Fraction of the Whole