Even as people around the globe vote for the 'Best of the Booker', bookmakers favoured Controversial Indian-origin writer Salman Rushdie's 'Midnight's Children' to win from the shortlist of six books that won the prestigious prize in previous years.The 'Best of the Booker', a one-off celebratory award to mark the 40th anniversary of the Booker Prize, announced the six shortlisted books.The other five authors in the race are Pat Barker (The Ghost Road), Peter Carey (Oscar and Lucinda), JM Coetzee (Disgrace), JG Farrell (The Siege of Krishnapur) and Nadine Gordimer (The Conservationist).The shortlist was selected by a panel of judges - the biographer, novelist and critic Victoria Glendinning, (Chair); writer and broadcaster Mariella Frostrup, and John Mullan, Professor of English at University College, London.Glendinning said, "It was a great experience, revisiting all the Booker and Man Booker Prize winners, and very tough arriving at the shortlist - but we really feel that the six novels we picked represent the best fiction-writing of the past 40 year and that each one of them will stand the test of time"The winner will be chosen by the public voting.The public are able to cast their vote through online partnerships with national and international media, with libraries, reading groups and book retailers, millions of people across the globe have the opportunity of registering their votes for their favourite book from the shortlist.The only time that a celebratory award has previously been created for 'the Booker' was in 1993 - the 25th anniversary - when Rushdie won the Booker of Bookers with Midnight's Children. (With inputs from PTI) ... read more »