Judging panel announced for Man Booker Prize 2009

The judging panel for the 2009 Man Booker Prize for Fiction has been announced. The line-up consists of Lucasta Miller, biographer and critic; Michael Prodger, Literary Editor of The Sunday Telegraph; John Mullan, academic, journalist and broadcaster and Sue Perkins, comedian and broadcaster. James Naughtie, one of the country's best-known broadcasters, was announced as Chair of the Judges in November. Ion Trewin, Literary Director of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction, describes the 2009 Judging panel as 'A team of all the talents, wide-ranging in their specialist knowledge, but united in their passion for fiction.'

2008 Guardian first book award winner announced

"An intricate, kaleidoscopic, all-embracing history of 20th-century music from Mahler to La Monte Young is the winner of this year's Guardian first book award. Alex Ross's The Rest Is Noise was the clear and undisputed winner of the £10,000 prize, which has been presented at a ceremony in central London"