And the Booker for 2017 goes to another American!
THE Man Booker Prize was won by a US author last night for the second year in a row.
George Saunders, 58, took the £50,000 prize for his novel Lincoln in the Bardo, which is about Abraham Lincoln’s grief over his 11-year- old son’s death.
It follows last year’s victory for Paul Beatty’s The Sellout, which was the first time an American had won since the contest was opened to US authors in 2014.
Saunders’ novel, which had been favourite to win, unfolds over one evening in a Washington cemetery when the US president goes to see his son’s body.
It is set between reality and the supernatural world – the ‘Bardo’.
Baroness Lola Young, who was the chairman of the judging panel, praised the ‘ challenging’ book. She said: ‘The form and style of this utterly original novel reveals a witty, intelligent and deeply moving narrative.’ The Daily Mail’s critic Elizabeth Buchan had described the ‘extraordinary novel’ as ‘ impregnated with bitter grief… and, yet, imparting a joyous relish for life’. the The prizelast British– which winner has of always been open to authors from Ireland and the Commonwealth as well as the UK – was Hilary Mantel’s Bring Up The Bodies in 2012. But Lady Young said: ‘We don’t look at the nationality. ‘We are solely concerned with the book.’ Lincoln in the Bardo – the first novel by Saunders, who is known for his short stories – is now expected to see a surge in sales. The Sellout reported a 658 per cent rise in sales after it won last year. The five shortlisted entries that lost out included Elmet, by 29-yearold York bookshop worker Fiona Mozley, who wrote the debut novel on her mobile phone.
The move to include American entrants in the contest has drawn criticism over fears it could damage British novelists.
Speaking after he was announced as the winner, Saunders, who said he had the idea for the novel 20 years before writing it, said: ‘Thank you for this great honour which I hope to live up to with the rest of my work, for the rest of my life.’