Will readers pick a book if it won a literary award

Jeet Thayil (extreme right) in the group of writers shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, 2012

The blockbuster prize for a single book of fiction, The Man Booker has just been announced. The winner, The Sellout by Paul Beatty is a biting satire on racism in the US.

Peter Modoli, publicity manager, Pan Mcmillan

But will readers in India pick up the book because it won an award? How much does the bibliophile value a prize?

Paul Betty, winner of the Man Booker Prize, 2016. Pic courstesy/Hannah Assouline

T Jagath, CEO, KitabKhana
The Booker Prize creates a lot of buzz around a book. Every year, we keep the booker long list and short list and they are sold out. This year, as soon as Sellout by Paul Betty won the Man Booker Prize, all our copies were sold and now we are out of stock. (Point to note here is that number was not more than 200). The Indian prizes like the Crossword Book Award and the Hindu fiction prize makes less of a buzz. The Nobel, too, has less takers than the Booker.

T Jagath, manager at KitabKhana holds the The Sellout in front of the corner for Man Booker shortlisted books at the store

Peter Modoli, Pan McMillan
The preparation for the rush after the Booker Prize is announced is done in the three months that we get between the announcement of the long list and the final declaration. This time we had initially not expected that The Sellout will win but as we saw the book selling higher than others consistently, we alerted the system. There is no doubt that there is an escalating demand for the books in the short list of the Man Booker Prize.

Before the prize is declared we prepare for print runs and declarations with the prize logo. No other prize creates as much sensation as the Booker. In India, if the winner is from the sub-continent there is much more sale going over 50,000 usually. Or else, a 25,000 sale for a winner is good number.

The excitement around a Booker winner in India is however less than what it is in the UK or US.

Tripta Roy, 28, bank employee
Being an avid reader, I do get informed about the Booker long lists and short lists. Whether a book finally wins or not does not really make much of a difference for me. I read the long list and and if it sounds interesting, I go for it.
Tushita Dabir, 40, head of finance, Aangan (NGO)

I do not really go by book prizes. I get to know books from the prize declarations and that is all. In fact, I was disappointed with the Booker- winning book The White Tiger. I read almost anything that comes my way depending on whether it resonates with me.

Archit Kulkarni, 33, marketing consultant
When buying books, I prefer going by recommendations from friends than by any particular award. I like reading motivational and leadership books and not too many novels. I am open to other genres though. The last Booker winner book I bought was God Of Small Things but I gifted it to a friend.