Ladbrokes’ site is up again, and the bets seem to be reshuffling in an inexpicable fashion. Take a look for yourself. America’s Cormac McCarthy has edged to the top spot for this year’s Nobel in literature, pushing Kenya’s Ngugi wa Thiong’o to #2. Haruki Marukami and Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer remain stable in the #3 and #4 slots.
But Poland’s Adam Zagajewski has now dropped way down to #20, and some of the rest is pure craziness: Néstor Amarilla (we’ve rather taken a shine to him) is suddenly at the bottom of the list, with the notation “closed.” What does that mean, if anyone put any money on him at all? Which someone must have done, to give him any ranking at all a few days ago…
In an alternative universe, Unibets, puts the Kenyan Ngugi wa Thiong’o at the top, with Néstor Amarilla as #2. Huh? As Literary Saloon points out in its excellent analysis, why wouldn’t someone bet for the Argentinian at Ladbroke’s, where the payout would be higher? (Maybe because it’s “closed.”)
Péter Nádas has been added to the list. Joyce Carol Oates is #9. Other names have moved up and down the list. Check it out. Only a few more hours to go.
… and, as you’ve no doubt seen by now (5:56am PDT Thursday), Mario Vargas Llosa has been awarded the prize.
Woke up, saw, rolled back over and went to bed at 4.30 a.m.!