The “Lost” Booker Prize

The Man Booker Prize is well-known, but the Lost Man Booker Prize is a recent idea. It honors a book published in l970, a year that slipped through the cracks for eligibility. Six worthy titles were in the competition and Farrell was chosen over five other finalists: Patrick White's The Vivisector, Mary Renault's Fire From Heaven, Nina Bawden's The Birds on the Trees, Shirley Hazzard's The Bay of Noon and Muriel Spark's The Driver's Seat.

The winner, announced on May 19th, is Troubles by J. G. Farrell. It is the first of his Empire Trilogy. The 2nd title, Siege of Krishnapur won the Booker in 1973.

Troubles takes place in County Wexford, Ireland in 1919. The tragicomic historical novel is set against the increasing violence against the English. Much of the action takes place in a crumbling hotel which is occupied by a cast of characters reminiscent of Muriel Spark and Barbara Pym. Our protagonist, Major Archer, is a meek fellow who has just returned somewhat traumatized from serving in the Great War. He returned for a fiancée who keeps him guessing as to her intentions. Her family owns The Majestic Hotel, a crumbling place which provides much of the comic relief as well as a counterpoint to the violence around it. The novel is many things, but the main theme is the decline of the British Empire. The recognition is late, but welcome and deserved.

-IVF