Whitbread Winners

I received a text message at 01:31:52 hrs: "Tash Aw won Whitbread Best 1st novel."

"Uhmmmph," I mumbled, turned over and went back to sleep.

Typically, I am only excited about winners of literary awards when my favourite authors/books happen to win. Otherwise, I think: "Well, if God of Small Things won the Booker then any old crap can win anything." Still, congratulations to Aw. How thrilling for him.

Anyway, here is a list of Whitbread winners:

Novel The Accidental by Ali Smith

First Novel The Harmony Silk Factory by Tash Aw

Poetry Cold Calls by David Harsent

Biography Matisse the Master by Hilary Spurling

Children's Book The New Policeman by Kate Thompson

The Whitbread Book of the Year (2005) will be announced on 24 January.

For more details on the winners go here.