By Jim Eaton-Terry
I love awards. Film, music or books, they combine the fun of a race with the joy of a list of things to work through. for years I’ve been holding my own private OscarFest every spring, trying to watch all the major nominees ahead of the ceremony. Given that I don’t like watching any sport, outside of an election year it’s my one chance to bet on something and cheer for the winners. Some years it’s a delight, some years it’s a trudge, and the less said about the year we ended up watching Cold Mountain, The Last Samurai, Mystic River, House of Sand and Fog and 21 Grams in a 48 hour period the better.
This year, though, I’ve gone a little further. With Spotify, YouTube, and a library card, I’m planning to plough through the whole Mercury shortlist and the Booker Longlist, and handicap each ahead of the ceremonies. Assuming I can get through it all, check back here in October for BookerFest.
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