The judging panel for the Guardian First Book Award 2009 in association with Waterstones has been announced. This prestigious award is exceptional in that it includes reading groups in its judging panel.
The panel will be headed by the Guardian Literary Editor Claire Armitstead, who features in the Festival programme and includes BBC presenter Martha Kearney, author Nadeem Aslam, poet and novelist Tobias Hill, political philosopher and writer John Gray, Guardian deputy editor Katharine Viner and Stuart Broom from Waterstones.
Waterstones have selected 5 reading groups around the UK who will read the ten ‘longlisted’ books chosen by the judging panel. Their opinions will contribute towards the 5 shortlisted books for the award.
Stuart Broom said “As well as new participants we consistently get readers who have been members of the groups before, who relish the responsibility of identifying fresh literary talent.”
For more information about this award, visit this item on the Guardian website.
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