Nadine Gordimer is lined up against Pat Barker, Peter Carey, JM Coetzee, JG Farrell and Salman Rushdie in a public poll to decide “The Best of the Booker”. Gordimer’s 1974 novel, The Conservationist (as opposed to Conservator — see above), is one of the six shortlisted titles for which, through a range of outlets and methods electronic and otherwise, millions of people are expected to vote as their favourite Booker-winning novel. Deadline for voting is July 8, with the winner being announced two days later at the South Bank Centre.