Beirut-born author Rawi Hage has won the world's richest literary prize for his debut novel De Niro's Game.
He won the 13th annual International Impac Dublin Literary Award valued at €100,000, which was announced today.
De Niro's Game, which was first published by House of Anansi Press, Canada, was chosen by a panel of five international judges from a shorlist of eight, including Patrick McCabe's
Winterwood. Hage's novel beat off competition from 137 titles, nominated by 162 public libraries from 45 countries.
Hage, who lived through nine years of civil war in Lebanon before emigrating to Canada, described himself as a fortunate man. "After a long journey of war, displacement and separation, I feel that I am one of the few wanderers who is privileged enough to have been rewarded, and for that I am very grateful," he said.
De Niro's Gameis told through the eyes of Bassam, as he grows up with his childhood friend George, in war-ravaged Beirut. As the young men reach adulthood they must choose their futures - to stay in the city and embrace a life of crime or go into exile abroad, alienated from the only existence they have known.
The Impac panel, which this year included Irish academic and writer Eibhlín Evans, said: "Rawi Hage's
De Niro's Gameis an eloquent, forthright and at times beautifully written first novel. Ringing with insight and authenticity the novel shows how war can envelop lives. It's a game where there are no winners, just degrees of survival. It's a wonderful debut and a deserving winner."
The Impac Dublin award is unique for being the largest literary prize for a single work of fiction published in English, as well as for being nominated by public libraries from around the globe.
De Niro's Gamewas nominated by Winnipeg Public Library.
Dublin Lord Mayor Paddy Bourke said the strength of the award lies in the nominations coming from libraries all over the world. "The award also highlights what an invaluable resource our libraries are - we can open up a world of learning with only a library card," he said.
Other finalists included Javier Cercas for
The Speed Of Light, Yasmine Gooneratne for
The Sweet And Simple Kindand Gail Jones for
Dreams Of Speaking.
Also shortlisted were Sayed Kashua for Let It Be Morning, Yasmina Khadra for The Attackand Andrei Makine for The Woman Who Waited.