2007 Man Booker Prize Award Winner

On October 16, Anne Enright was selected as the recipient of the 2007 Man Booker Prize for her novel, THE GATHERING (Black Cat / Grove/Atlantic), from among a shortlist of five other titles --- DARKMANS by Nicola Barker, THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST by Mohsin Hamid, MISTER PIP by Lloyd Jones, ON CHESIL BEACH by Ian McEwan, and ANIMAL'S PEOPLE by Indra Sinha. Garnering much critical acclaim in the United States and Europe, Enright's fourth work of fiction is described as "an unflinching look at a grieving family in tough and striking language," as well as "a very intense piece of writing that does repay re-reading."

Born in Dublin where she still continues to live and work, Enright is the second Irish woman to win the Prize, and joins fellow countrymen Iris Murdoch, Roddy Doyle and John Banville, who have won the prize in 1978, 1993, and 2005.  She has also written three previous novels, THE WIG MY FATHER WORE, WHAT ARE YOU LIKE? and THE PLEASURE OF ELIZA LYNCH.

For more information on Anne Enright and the Man Booker Prize, please visit http://www.themanbookerprize.com/.

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2007 Man Booker International Prize Winner

On June 13, 2007, Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe was named the recipient of the 2nd Man Booker International Prize. The £60,000 award is given once every two years to a living authors for a body of work that has contributed an achievement in fiction on the world stage.

Achebe is best known for his first novel, THINGS FALL APART, written in 1958, and for ANTHILLS OF SAVANNAH, which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 1987. This year, his competition included Ian McEwan, John Banville, Margaret Atwood, Philip Roth and Salman Rushdie.

For more information about the Man Booker Prize, go to http://www.themanbookerprize.com.

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2007 Man Booker International Prize Finalists

On April 12, 2007, the finalists for the second Man Booker International Prize were announced. Founded in 2005, the Prize is given out every two years to recognize a writer of any nationality --- providing that his or her work is available in the English language --- for "continued creativity, development, and overall contribution to fiction on the world stage." The winner, who will receive £60,000 or $118,000 cash award, will be announced in June.

The finalists are:

• Chinua Achebe
• Margaret Atwood
• John Banville
• Peter Carey
• Don Delillo
• Carlos Fuentes
• Doris Lessing
• Ian McEwan
• Harry Mulisch
• Alice Munro
• Michael Ondaatje
• Amos Oz
• Philip Roth
• Salman Rushdie
• Michel Tournier

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2006 Man Booker Prize Winner

On October 10th, Kiran Desai was selected as the winner of the 2006 Man Booker Prize for Fiction. Her book, THE INHERITANCE OF LOSS (Hamish Hamilton / Atlantic Monthly Press), was chosen from among a shortlist of five other titles, and was described by the chair of judges as "a maginficent novel of breadth and wisdom, comic tenderness and powerful political acuteness."

Indian-born Desai was educated in India, in England, and the United States, and is also the author of the critically acclaimed HULLABALLOO IN THE GUAVA ORCHARD. At the age of 35, Desai is the youngest female recipient of the Man Booker Prize, and is also the first woman to win the award since Margaret Atwood in 2000, for THE BLIND ASSASSIN. Her mother, Anita Desai, has been shortlisted three times since 1980, but has never won.

Desai was presented with a cheque for £50,000 at an awards dinner held in London on October 10th. Along with the cash prize, she is guaranteed an increase in sales and worldwide recognition. The shortlisted authors, Kate Grenville, M. J. Hyland, Hisham Matar, Edward St. Aubyn, and Sarah Waters, received £2500 and a designer-bound edition of their book.

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2006 Man Booker Prize Shortlist

On September 14th, the short list for the year's Man Booker Prize was announced during a press conference held at Man Group Offices plc offices in London. These six books --- each chosen for having "a distinctive original voice, an audacious imagination that takes readers to undiscovered countries of the mind, a strong power of story-telling and a historical truthfulness --- were narrowed from the long list of 19 titles. The winner, to be announced on October 10th, will receive a £50,000 prize, along with a guaranteed increase in sales and worldwide recognition.

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2006 Man Booker Prize Longlist

On August 14th, the longlist of titles nominated for the 2006 Man Booker Prize for Fiction was announced. These 19 titles were chosen from a total of 112 entries, 95 of which were submitted for the prize and 17 were called in by a panel of judges.  The shortlist will be announced on September 14th, and the winner on October 10th. The Award, now in its 38th year, aims to honor the best novel of the year written by a citizen of the British Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland. This year's longlist of nominees for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction includes:

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2005 Man Booker Prize

On October 10, 2005, John Banville was named the winner of the £50,000 Man Booker Prize for his novel, THE SEA. The award, now in its 37th year, is considered one of the highest accolades in the U.K. for literary fiction.

Banville is the former editor of the Irish Times and is the first Irishman to win the Man Booker Award since Roddy Doyle in 1993. He was shortlisted in 1989 for THE BOOK OF EVIDENCE, but lost to THE REMAINS OF THE DAY by Kazuo Ishiguro, who was also shortlisted this year.

THE SEA, published in the U.K. by Picador, will be released in the U.S. in November under Knopf.

For more information about the Man Booker Prize, go to http://www.themanbookerprize.com.

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2005 Man Booker Prize Finalists

At a press conference held in London on September 8th, six books were chosen as finalists for the 2005 Man Booker Prize. Considered one of the most prestigious awards for contemporary literary fiction, its purpose is to reward the best novel of the year, written by a citizen of the British Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland. Past winners include LIFE OF PI by Yann Martel (2002) and THE LINE OF BEAUTY by Alan Hollinghurst (2004). This year's winner will be announced on October 10th, and the shortlist consists of:

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2004 Man Booker Prize for Fiction

THE LINE OF BEAUTY
Alan Hollinghurst
Picador
ISBN: 033048320X
501 pages

Alan Hollinghurst was named as the winner of the 2004 Man Booker Prize for Fiction for his fourth novel, THE LINE OF BEAUTY, published by Picador. Hollinghurst’s writing has been described as "stylish and poised, with generous cadences of sorrow and delight." THE LINE OF BEAUTY follows the story of Nicholas Guest, a young innocent who gets caught up in the triumphalist, opulent world of the 1980s as lived by Gerald Fedden, the Tory MP with whom he lodges and his circle. A wonderfully observed, effortless novel, THE LINE OF BEAUTY has been described as a "masterpiece."

One of the world's most distinctive literary awards since 1968, the Man Booker Prize represents the very best of contemporary fiction in English. The Man Booker judges are selected from the country's finest critics, writers and academics to maintain the consistent excellence of the prize. In addition to receiving a check for 50,000 pounds, Hollinghurst is guaranteed an increase in sales and recognition worldwide.

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2003 Man Booker Prize for Fiction

VERNON GOD LITTLE
DBC Pierre
Canongate Books
ISBN: 1841954608
288 pages

Australian author DBC Pierre is the 2003 recipient of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction. VERNON GOD LITTLE, which is set in Texas and describes a teenager who is put on trial for a Columbine-style mass murder at his high school, is Pierre's debut novel. Chairman of the judges John Carey called the book "a black comedy reflecting our alarm but also our fascination with modern America."

One of the world's most distinctive literary awards since 1968, the Man Booker Prize represents the very best of contemporary fiction in English. The Man Booker judges are selected from the country's finest critics, writers and academics to maintain the consistent excellence of the prize. In addition to receiving a check for 50,000 pounds, Pierre is guaranteed an increase in sales and recognition worldwide.

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2002 Man Booker Prize for Fiction

LIFE OF PI
Yann Martel
Harcourt Brace
ISBN: 0151008116
336 pages

Canadian Yann Martel is the 2002 recipient of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction. His imaginative novel LIFE OF PI (Harcourt) recounts the adventures of an Indian zookeeper's son trapped at sea on a lifeboat with a 450-pound Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker, a hyena, an orangutan and a wounded zebra. It's a story, as one character puts it, to make you believe in God. Martel will take home a check for 50,000 pounds ($76,000).

One of the world's most distinctive literary awards since 1968, the Man Booker Prize represents the very best of contemporary fiction in English. The Man Booker judges are selected from the country's finest critics, writers and academics to maintain the consistent excellence of the prize. Martel, whose first novel SELF went unnoticed, should find a worldwide audience after receiving this award.

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