The Lost Man Booker Prize

The Lost Man Booker Prize

The Lost Man Booker Prize was a one-off prize to honour the books which missed out on the opportunity to win the Booker Prize in 1970.

In 1971, just two years after it began, the Booker Prize ceased to be awarded retrospectively and became - as it is today - a prize for the best novel of the year of publication. At the same time the award moved from April to November and, as a result, a wealth of fiction published for much of 1970 fell through the net and was never considered for the prize.

In 2008, 40 years on, a panel of three judges - all of whom were born in or around 1970 - were appointed to select a shortlist of six novels from that year.  They were poet and novelist Tobias Hill, ITN newsreader, Katie Derham and the journalist and critic, Rachel Cooke. 

The winner of the Lost Man Booker Prize was J G Farrell with Troubles. His family accepted a designer bound copy of the novel on his behalf.

PRESS RELEASE: Troubles wins Lost Man Booker Prize
J G Farrell tops poll to find best novel of 1970
19 2010

NEWS STORY: Troubles wins Lost Man Booker Prize
J G Farrell tops poll to find best novel of 1970
19 2010

NEWS STORY: Lost Man Booker Prize winner announced today
Best novel of 1970 to be announced
19 2010

NEWS STORY: Voting now closed for the Lost Man Booker
Winner to be announced on 19 May
30 2010

NEWS STORY: Cast your vote for the Lost Man Booker Prize winner
Join the debate for the one-off prize
06 2010

NEWS STORY: Lost Man Booker Prize shortlist announced
Novels that have stood the test of time
25 2010

PRESS RELEASE: The Lost Man Booker shortlist announced
Shortlist thrown open to public vote
25 2010

NEWS STORY: The Times to host Lost Man Booker debate
Erica Wagner will discuss six shortlisted titles
23 2010

NEWS STORY: Lost Man Booker at Oxford Literary Festival
Judges to announce shortlist at exclusive event
03 2010

NEWS STORY: The Lost Man Booker Prize announced
One-off prize to honour books published in 1970
01 2010

PRESS RELEASE: The Lost Man Booker Prize
Celebrating books that missed out on the prize in 1970
01 2010

EVENT: Lost Man Booker Prize shortlist to be announced at the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival
In 1971, just two years after it began, the Booker Prize ceased to be awarded retrospectively and became – as it is today – a prize for the best novel of the year of publication. As a result a wealth of fiction published for much of 1970 fell through the net. The Lost Man Booker is a one-off prize to honour the books which missed out on the opportunity to win the Booker Prize in 1970. Join the judges - the ITN newsreader Katie Derham, poet and novelist Tobias Hill and journalist and critic Rachel Cooke - for the exclusive shortlist announcement, and a discussion on each of the six books, before casting your vote for the winner via the Man Booker Prize website.

COMMISSIONED ARTICLE: A book that never lets me down
Rachel Cooke on the Lost Man Booker winner
19 2010

Winner

J G Farrell


The Man Booker Prize Fiction at its finest