问答题
Nowhere is this more true than in the awarding of prizes. Because prizes carry the approval of an institution, we expect them to be somehow more authoritative than ordinary reviews. But even the winners of the most prestigious awards are chosen by individuals, each with his or her own particular tastes, and the high stakes involved can make those choices even more capricious. Recently, I was explaining to a mathematician friend how I had screened the scores of nonfiction books that were candidates for the short list of a national literary prize I participate in judging. "If by Page 100 the author hasn’t managed to get me interested in the topic, I eliminate it," I said. "Surely there are objective criteria" he replied, sounding a bit offended. Well, not really; a tedious volume full of useful information may have its merits, but not enough to make me champion it as one of the five best books of the year. And determining whether a work is boring or enthralling can be only a subjective decision.
Nowhere is this more true than in the awarding of prizes. Because prizes carry the approval of an institution, we expect them to be somehow more authoritative than ordinary reviews. But even the winners of the most prestigious awards are chosen by individuals, each with his or her own particular tastes, and the high stakes involved can make those choices even more capricious. Recently, I was explaining to a mathematician friend how I had screened the scores of nonfiction books that were candidates for the short list of a national literary prize I participate in judging. "If by Page 100 the author hasn’t managed to get me interested in the topic, I eliminate it," I said. "Surely there are objective criteria" he replied, sounding a bit offended. Well, not really; a tedious volume full of useful information may have its merits, but not enough to make me champion it as one of the five best books of the year. And determining whether a work is boring or enthralling can be only a subjective decision.
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