An impressive panel of judges headed by leading British critic and biographer, Hermione Lee, as non-voting chair of judges, will decide this year's Man Booker Prize for Fiction. Included on the panel of writers and critics is Cork-born actor Fiona Shaw.
Shaw, an established stage and film performer, is a philosophy graduate from University College Cork and has always demonstrated a strong literary instinct in her work. Many of her roles have been in adaptations of books.
Also on this year's panel are novelist and poet Simon Armitage, novelist Candia McWilliam and critic Anthony Quinn. In previous years, the non-writing Booker judge has tended towards more celebrity or personality choices such as well-known broadcasters, news readers and actors. However, Shaw's approach to acting, particularly for her stage work, is shaped by a close, informed reading of the text.
Her interest in fiction and her strong opinions, particularly when teamed with one of the best Booker judging panels to be assembled in the prize's 36-year history, should make her a formidable voice.
