Book prizes are a great method for exposure. I would like to see more book prizes awarded to unknown and underrated books.

Proust, Tolstoy and Joyce are all the endorsement any prize earns. The Nobel record of these greats can only hearten those who may not be up to competing, exactly.

Too many awards make all the awards a little less meaningful; although, I do not think we have reached that level yet. Wouldn't it be nice to see literary stars being treated to a SWAGbag full of treats a la the Oscars... now there's a veue with too many awards ceremonies

Prizes, like the art they reward are terribly subjective. Setting aside politics, who are the judges to judge and who adjudged them worthy of dispensing criticism. Unlike, say baseball which offers statistical empiricism from which to rank players (and even that's far from perfect in many categories) art is different --- and thank heavens it is so. Reminds me of the controversy surrounding Harold Bloom when he pitched a canon of literature for all collegians --- or the cultural literacy movement dashed on the shores of PC'ism. I agree that the publicity sword can strike deep across the consciousness bringing conscious readers to art, but is the game worth the candle.

Recognition is essential to creative people. In this world prizes are given for endless endeavors including stuffing as much of a certain food as possible in one's face to earn the record of the one who can eat the most in a given period time!! Writers provide society with so much and many deserve a prize be it a major one or a smaller acknowledment of their efforts.