Smith's The Accidental is Whitbread favourite
Having already taken Novel of the Year, Scottish writer Ali Smith's latest book is also the favourite to win the overall 2005 Whitbread Book of the Year.
British bookmakers have made her 5-4 favourite for 'The Accidental', the story of a beautiful young woman who disrupts a family's uneventful holiday and changes their lives forever.
In 2001 Smith's second novel, 'Hotel World', was shortlisted for both the Booker and Orange prizes.
'The Accidental' also made the 2005 Man Booker Prize shortlist.
Second favourite is English biographer Hilary Spurling with 'Matisse: The Master', followed by 'Cold Calls: War Music Continued', the fifth instalment in Christopher Logue's remarkable adaptation of The Iliad.
Tash Aw's debut novel, 'The Harmony Silk Factory' and Irish-based author Kate Thompson's children's book, 'The New Policeman', are also amongst the six books in the running for the 2005 Whitbread Book of the Year award.
Whitbread Group created the awards in 1971 to celebrate the most enjoyable books of the year by writers based in the UK and Ireland and it has, since then, developed into one of the UK's most prestigious literary awards.
The 35th Whitbread Book Awards will take place in London tomorrow, Tuesday 24 January.
- Rattlebag: 'The Accidental' by Ali Smith discussed
