Irish author Sebastian Barry has made it onto this year’s shortlist for the Man Booker prize.
Barry's novel The Secret Scripturewas included on the six-strong list for the prestigious £50,000 prize, announced in London today.
This is the second time the Dublin-born writer has made the final six. His book A Long Long Waywas short-listed in 2005.
The other authors on the list are: Aravind Adiga for The White Tiger, Steve Tolz for A Fraction of the Whole, Amitav Ghosh for Sea of Poppies, Linda Grant for The Clothes on Their Backs, and Philip Hensher for The Northern Clemency.
Both Aravind Adiga and Steve Toltz have the unique distinction of being first-time novelists.The winner will be announced on October 14th at a dinner at the Guildhall, London.
Chairman of judging panel, former MP Michael Portillo said: "The judges commend the six titles to readers with great enthusiasm.
“These novels are intensely readable, each of them an extraordinary example of imagination and narrative.
"These fine page-turning stories nonetheless raise highly thought-provoking ideas and issues. These books are in every case both ambitious and approachable."