- Can Patrick Neate do it again - second favourite to win the title?
- New this year - online betting kiosk on www.whitbread-bookawards.co.uk

A biography of the original Robinson Crusoe could pick up the £25,000 cheque for 2001 Whitbread Book of the Year, according to the latest odds from William Hill. Diana Souhami, winner of the Whitbread Biography Award for Selkirk's Island, has been selected as favourite to win at odds of 11/8. Patrick Neate's Twelve Bar Blues, which beat Ian McEwan's Atonement to win the Whitbread Novel Award, is second favourite at 9/4.

If Selkirk's Island wins, it will be the first biography to pick up the prestigious award since John Richardson's Picasso in 1991. (While the judges were famously tied last year between Lorna Sage's autobiography, Bad Blood and Mathew Kneale's novel English Passengers, the latter eventually won on a casting vote.) This year's judges have praised Selkirk's Island as "a great adventure story, a great read and a real advance for the art of biography".

The winners of both the Whitbread Book of the Year and Children's Book of the Year will be announced on 22nd January 2002:

William Hill Odds

Biography Award
Diana Souhami
Selkirk's Island
11/8

Novel Award
Patrick Neate
Twelve Bar Blues
9/4

First Novel Award
Sid Smith
Something Like A House
4/1

Poetry Award
Selima Hill
Bunny
5/1

Children's Award
Shortlisted contenders to win both the Children's Book of the Year and overall title
7/1

William Hill spokesperson Graham Sharpe said: " This is one of the most open years that I can remember, with four relatively unknown authors and an exceptionally strong children's shortlist, all in the running. While any of the contenders could conceivably win, the recent resurgence of popular biography titles has persuaded me to just make Selkirk's Island the favourite."

David Reed, Director of Corporate Affairs at Whitbread PLC, said: " As always, we have a fiercely independent panel of judges who will make up their own minds as to the winner - but it's fascinating to see the bookies' choice. "

For the first time this year, punters will be able to place their bets on their chosen author directly from the awards website - www.whitbread-bookawards.co.uk - where William Hill has installed a betting kiosk.

Ends

Notes to editors

1. Whitbread Children's Book of the Year shortlist (winner to be announced on 22nd January):
- Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
- Journey to the River Sea, Eva Ibbotson
- The Lady and the Squire, Terry Jones
- The Amber Spyglass, Philip Pullman
The winner is then eligible for the Whitbread Book of the Year Award.
2. Photography of authors and book jackets is available royalty free from website www.whitbread-bookawards.co.uk. High-resolution photography suitable for media reproduction.
3. The Whitbread Book Awards, now in their 31st year, were established in 1971 by Whitbread, the UK's leading leisure and hospitality company. The philosophy behind the Whitbread Book Awards is the enjoyment of reading and of books. Together with our partners - Mencap, the National Reading Campaign, The Library Association, the Bookseller's Association and amazon.co.uk - we aim to reinforce this message to as many people as possible.
4. The awards ceremony will take place at the Whitbread Brewery, Chiswell Street on Tuesday 22nd January 2000. Please call press office for further details.
5. To be eligible for the awards, books must have been published between 1 November 2000 and 31 October 2001 in the UK or Eire. Authors must have been domiciled in the UK or Eire since November 1998.
6. The total prize fund for the Whitbread Book of the Year/Whitbread Children's Book of the Year now stands at £50,000, the largest book prize fund in the UK. The award winners from the five categories - Novel, First Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children's - each receive £5,000.
7. The Whitbread Book of the Year is selected from the four adult Award winners and Whitbread Children's Book of the Year, and the winner receives an additional £25,000.