IRISH-BORN writer Colum McCann's latest novel, Let the Great World Spin, has been shortlisted for the fiction prize in this year's National Book Awards in the US.
The Dubliner’s novel is one of five in the fiction category in the shortlist announced yesterday.
McCann is the author of the novels Zoli, Dancer, This Side of Brightness, and Songdogs, as well as two story collections. He has also been a finalist for the International Impac Dublin Literary Award and was the inaugural winner of the Ireland Fund of Monaco Literary Award in memory of Princess Grace.
He is a contributor to the New Yorker, the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic Monthlyand the Paris Review. He lives in New York with his wife and three children.
Fine Gael arts spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell congratulated the Aosdána writer.
She said Let the Great World Spinwas "a cleverly crafted book, as well as being a real page turner, and I have no doubt that Hollywood will soon be knocking on Colum's door.
“Colum is another in the long line of Irish artists achieving international success. He is also helping to counteract the more negative images of Ireland that may be going out from other sectors.
“For Colum and for Ireland, this is a huge honour which I hope, by placing him on the international literary stage, will bring him continued success.”
The other shortlisted works of fiction are: American Salvageby Bonnie Jo Campbell, In Other Rooms, Other Wondersby Daniyal Mueenuddin, Lark and Termiteby Jayne Anne Phillips and Far Northby Marcel Theroux.
The prestigious awards, organised by the National Book Foundation, celebrate their 60th anniversary this year and the winners will be announced at a ceremony in New York on November 18th.