Man Booker prize shortlist - an update

This week will see the announcement of the winner of the Man Booker Prize. The favourite (with UK bookmakers) is either Sea of Poppies or The Secret Scripture. As an Irishman, my sympathies lie with the latter, which is certainly a fine book. All of the novels are fairly readily available ahead of the shortlisting, with the exception of The Clothes on Their Backs (as previously noted). The only copy I can currently find for sale is a signed copy from Ben Sheddling books at £225. A number of other copies have disappeared at prices from £100 to £150 in the last couple of weeks. It is probable that dealers will get some more signed copies this week, but if Linda Grant wins these will be at a premium, and The Clothes of Their Backs is likely to joint the select group of Booker Prize novels which are most difficult to obtain - a topic to which I will return in the next few days!