THESE are the book awards that count. Ignore the Booker... the PUHLEASEitzer... the Miles Franklin. With categories like the "Sainsbury's Popular Fiction Award" and the "Play.com Popular Non-Fiction Award" the Galaxy British Book Awards (the Oscars of the Book World!) should be the gong that every writer dreams of.Richard and Judy have a category as well and I'm glad to see my old acquaintance The 19th Wife has picked up a nomination for their best read of the year... sigh.
I was most amused to read the nominations for the "Tesco Biography of the Year"; Dawn French, Barack Obama and Julie Walters all racing neck and neck towards the nail-biting conclusion that will make last November look like a walk in the park.
However, the best quote from the website is the description of the judging panel for the big prize, The Galaxy Book of the Year: "(It) will be determined by an elite and bi-partisan chapter of the Academy of the British Book Industry."
Phew.
I was worried they hadn't quite realised the ENORMITY of these awards, but I'm glad to see they're taking them seriously.
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