How threat of war inflicted collateral damage on a cosy book prize

Bob Cox noticed a Guardian Article on Book of the Year prize which went to Michael Moore’s Stupid White Men.

The ceremony, nicknamed The Nibbies because of the large gold pen nibs which are its only prizes, has tended to be seen as a back-slapping rite at which the industry rewards authors of its highest selling titles.

But this year’s organisers, the magazine Publishing News, introduced an element of public voting into the judging by distributing more than 100,000 leaflets in bookshops.