Year: 1981

Judges

Professor Malcolm Bradbury (chair)
Brian Aldiss
Joan Bakewell
Samuel Hynes
Hermione Lee

Books

The Comfort of Strangers

Shortlisted

'The Comfort of Strangers' by Ian McEwan

Good Behaviour

Shortlisted

'Good Behaviour' by Molly Keane

Loitering with Intent

Shortlisted

'Loitering with Intent' by Muriel Spark

Midnight's Children

Winner

'Midnight's Children' by Salman Rushdie

Rhine Journey

Shortlisted

'Rhine Journey' by Ann Schlee

The Sirian Experiments

Shortlisted

'The Sirian Experiments' by Doris Lessing

The White Hotel

Shortlisted

'The White Hotel' by D. M. Thomas