Booker prize

[sjpimlico]

Is the Booker prize a measure of quality writing?

[Angury]

How do you measure quality writing?

 

I've often wondered what makes famous books so popular, and I think a large part of it comes down to how current society perceives that book and how ground-shattering (and indeed acceptable) the book is in terms of its ideas and writing style for that time period. I think these prizes are very specific to time and place rather than any objective measurement of 'good writing.' Instead, I think it is a measure of how these books illustrate the shifts in thinking - after all, the judges who choose the winner are also products of that society.

 

As a thinking point, would the recent Booker Prize have won the same prize ten years ago?

Edited June 8, 2017 by Angury

[sjpimlico]

An excellent reply Angury. Thank you. I think you have rather hit the nail on the literary head!