There's More (Literary) Bad Sex Than Ever Before

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Like descriptions of the sexual act itself, the reactions of the writers annually garlanded by the Literary Review's celebrated Bad Sex in Fiction Award can vary wildly. Alan Titchmarsh, grateful for a brief moment of literary glory, hammed up his acceptance speech for all it was worth. The novelist Philip Kerr, on the other hand, I seem to remember being slow-hand-clapped by the audience as he lectured the judges for their effrontery. Quite what the late Norman Mailer's reaction might have been to this posthumously conferred honour we can only guess - he died a fortnight before this Tuesday's ceremony - but there is at least a chance that it would match his legendary response …