There has always been a cause and effect for authors named on prize lists that the publicity leads to more sales. While that is true, the figures bear it out, it has never particularly had an impact on the way I read. Mind you when the news came out that Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio had won the Nobel prize for literature it does make you wonder about seeing if any of his work is in translation.
Last year I did pop to the library and read some Doris Lessing so maybe it’s the Nobel prize that triggers a reaction?