Six authors — four British, one Indian and one Malaysian — will compete for the 2012 Man Booker Prize, one of the highest honors in literature, worth about $80,000 (or £50,000), it was announced Tuesday in London.
A panel of judges chaired by Sir Peter Stothard, editor of the British “Times Literary Supplement,” nominated the contending novels for the shortlist, which were selected from the “longlist” of 12 novels announced in July.
In addition to literary giants, the Man Booker's judge panel often includes an actor or television personality. Dan Stevens, who plays Matthew Crawley on "Downton Abbey," lends his literary eye this year.