News Flash: J.G.Farrell wins the Booker Prize thirty years after his death!

Sort of...

Back in 1970, the folks who handed out the Booker Prize made changes to their eligibility requirements, which resulted in several books not being nominated for the prestigious award. Yesterday, in an attempt to address this unfortunate occurrence, it was announced that J. G. Farrell's 1970 novel Troubles was the winner of "The Lost Booker Prize". Farrell, who died in 1979, was lucky enough to have won the proper Booker Prize in 1973 for The Siege of Krishnapur, which was the second in a trilogy that started with Troubles.

It's a good thing to see Troubles get the recognition it deserves. I read it a few years ago and loved it - it is a fantastic novel about the British losing control of Ireland. I think it is entirely possible that Farrell's Booker win for Krishnapur was partially due to the "sympathy vote" because Troubles got shafted.

Sadly, Troubles is not in the CPL catalog but perhaps with this new recognition a copy or two may make it on to our shelves. If you just can't wait (and you really shouldn't), the wise folks at NYRB (New York Review Books) re-issued this novel a few years back - you should be able to order your very own copy on-line or through your favourite book seller.