23 JULY 2005, Page 21

A literary judgment

From John Carey

Sir: Stephen Schwartz’s attack on the judges of the Man Booker International Prize is based on a misapprehension (‘Literary courtesan’, 16 July). The prize is for achievement in fiction. The judges are not expected to take authors’ political records into account. Had there been any such requirement, I am sure none of us would have accepted the nomination. Our unanimous decision to award the prize to Ismail Kadare was made solely on grounds of literary merit.

John Carey

Chair of the judges of the Man Booker International Prize, Merton College, Oxford