Just bought the six Booker finalists to read over the next few weeks - at a cost of £85, after discounts.

I love reading them all every year but it's not cheap (all hardbacks, of course, which I prefer anyway).

JK2006 wrote:
Just bought the six Booker finalists to read over the next few weeks - at a cost of £85, after discounts.

I love reading them all every year but it's not cheap (all hardbacks, of course, which I prefer anyway).

Don't think £85 is extravagant for 6 top hardbacks.
With petrol prices going up again must equate to about a tank of petrol.

Only hardbacks will do for me. Waterstones my place of choice.

£85 isn't a bad sum for books that you can pass down.

A small investment in quality.

I never buy books, except reference books, novels are generally going to be read once and then clutter up the house, so I just borrow them from the library.

Sorry. That last post of mine was horribly patronising. I didn't mean to patronise the great King.

Particularly as he's a millionaire and I'm not sure how I'm going to pay my next electricity bill.

I'll probably have to burn all those hard back books I bragged about.

I read a lot - hardbacks/whatever...neither here nor there.

But I pick my own books JK.

Why let the Booker panel (who are?) pick yours ?

Actually he's not a millionnaire, as he has so often said.

I think they are called recommendations. To my knowledge I've never read any Booker nominations. Nor have I watched a movie based on it winning an Oscar, but I'm sure many people do.

We all have habits and hobbies. If this is one of yours, Jonathan, then I hope you get lots of pleasure from it.

I love it every year. I reckon it's a way of sampling current writing and the judges are usually pretty devoted. Nobody can read thousands a year; I have my regulars (Stephen King; Gerald Seymour; John Le Carre) which I read whenever they publish; also my classics (reread a Dickens every year) so this is a great way of sampling the best every year.

After all, six new novels is not a lot. Problem is, I do like to try to read them all in the month before the winner gets chosen.

Often, like last year, I haven't managed to read the winner (and then do, belatedly, as the wonderful White Tiger).

This year I'm in deep trouble as I'm trying to complete my autobiography.

It will happen though.

If that is true I apologise again. I presumed he was. I'll substitute the word 'millionaire' for ' very comfortable'.

I think the words "nearly bust" would be more accurate.
Or "just about to go on the dole".
Or "seen on street selling Big Issue".

I'm joking. Doing fine thanks.
Mainly due to old hits from the 60s and 70s though.

My big earnings from the 90s went to lawyers in the 2000's.

JK2006 wrote:
[quote
Or "seen on street selling Big Issue".
[/quote]
You should go on the streets and sell a few Big Issues, JK, and wait for the story in the press the next day.

Your State Pension will kick in before long anyway