Waugh memorial
Sir: Bookbuyer's piece on The Auberon Waugh Memorial Prize (December 22) which I was very glad to see — contained, as usual, a couple of his endearing errors.
The name of my publishing house is Arlington Books Publishers, not Arlington Press, a very good firm of kindly printers, who regularly pass on to us orders for our books which they receive as a result of the kind of careless confusion people like Bookbuyer promote by their inaccuracy.
I don't remember being 'a little coy' about the number of entries for the prize. As Mr Leopold Rosencrantz in presenting the prize observed to the assembled press, the winner had been chosen from "an overwhelming entrY of five."
So that this letter may not be seen as a pure exercise of disgruntlement may I take this opportunity of announcing that The Auberon Waugh Memorial Prize for 1974 which will be judged and awarded in December of next year will be for the best and the worst review of the year. The first prize will be a cheque for £50 donated in the name the winner to the Book Trade Benevolent Fund and for the worst review will be the usual award of 'an Auberon,' that is to say, a replica of fyir Auberon Waugh in gold wax, with wick, which the recipient may keep or burn as he chooses. Readers of the Spectator will be most welcome to participate in next year's awards and entries, which should be clearhi marked either Best or Worst, (it is not always immediately apparent) may e, sent to the Auberon Waugh Memorial Prize, 38 Bury Street, St. James's. As In the case of the blurb competition entries by Mr Waugh, alas, must he excluded.
Ds
e s DesmondLondon /shtail(
38 Bury Street, St. Jam
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