Slog Tipper Michael directs our attention to this old-but-very-interesting article about the history of judging the Booker Prize. Here's Beryl Bainbridge on judging the 1977 Booker:

Making a choice was very difficult - because it was this great prize of the world, one had to be very careful. Since I was published by Duckworth, it was very peculiar to have a Duckworth novel - Great Granny Webster by Caroline Blackwood - included in the vote. I put my vote forward - for Blackwood - but the discussion on it lasted only about three minutes, because it was such a short book. So nobody was really interested in that. All I can remember of the final meeting is that I got terribly tired, I literally sank lower and lower under the table. Brendan Gill, who I thought was American, went towards the balcony saying he was going to throw himself off, he was so fed up. Philip Larkin was completely silent most of the time. Nobody dared say a word to him and he never said a word back. The only one who was in total control of everything was Robin Ray. He was so clever that we all went along with whatever he said, and he wanted Staying On by Paul Scott to win. Poor Scott was too ill to collect the prize.

I wonder what kind of hijinx went on behind the scenes with this year's out-of-left-field selection of Howard Jacobson?