Man Booker longlist read from Fourth Plinth

First chapters read out in Trafalgar Square

13 August 2009

Photographer Graham Fudger from Kings Langley, Herts, took to the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square armed with the 13 books longlisted for the 2009 Man Booker Prize for Fiction on 11 August.

The Man Booker Prize is the first book prize to take to the plinth since the launch of the One & Other by Antony Gormley on 6 July.

Graham read extracts from each of the 13 books starting with his personal favourite Me Cheeta by James Lever. Following his hour on the plinth, which attracted quite a crowd below, Graham gave away a copy of each of the longlisted books and the first to be taken was Summertime by J M Coetzee.

Speaking about his experience Fudger said,

"Being on the Fourth Plinth was so exciting - I loved it. I was very nervous before going up on the JCB but getting up there and starting was the best thing ever. Reading from the 13 Man Booker longlisted books was quite a challenge, I decided to read the first chapter of each but some were slightly easier to read aloud than others! I started with Me Cheeta by James Lever as this is my favourite of the longlisted books and perhaps this was why it was easier to read. The audience was great and it was very comforting to see people I knew standing below. Storytelling is such an art form, I love reading so being able to stand on the Fourth Plinth with the Man Booker Prize books was an exhilarating experience."

The shortlist for the prize will be announced on Tuesday 8 September and the winner will be announced on Tuesday 6 October on the BBC Ten O'Clock News.

For more on Graham Fudger on the Fourth Plinth go to:

BBC News

The Guardian