Booker Prize Long List Announced

The UK Booker Prize -- an annual award to the best book of the year -- is the UK equivalent of getting picked by Oprah. The award gets loads of attention, bets are placed on who will win (which isn't saying much since the Brits will bet on anything), and it's got more gravitas than the Oscars. Winning the Booker is like winning a Pulitzer, but with an almost guaranteed huge boost in sales. This year's long list of nominees has been announced and David Mitchell is on there again, this time with "Black Swan Green." I'm way overdue tackling this author, who I'm certain I'll enjoy. The short list comes out in Sept and the winner is announced October 10, the same day the Quills hold their second award in NYC. This US award just began last year and they hope to become the US equivalent to the Booker.