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Australian author Pierre wins UK's Booker prize
( 2003-10-15 15:48) (China Daily)

Australian author D.B.C Pierre won the 2003 Booker Prize for his first-time novel, black comedy Vernon God Little, it was announced late Tuesday.

The most prestigious literary award in Britain is for the best novel of the last 12 months by an author from a Commonwealth country or the Republic of Ireland. The initial Booker list of 117 novels was shortened to 23 by mid-August, and then to six last month.

Pierre, 42, who lives in Ireland, headed a shortlist of six writers to win the annual contemporary fiction award worth 50,000 pounds (US$79,500). He also got the bonus of the extra sales and publicity a Booker win gives.

Pierre is the third Australian to win the prize in its 35th year, following in the steps of Peter Carey and Thomas Keneally.

Born in Australia in 1961 and grew up in Mexico with his real name Peter Finlay, he chose his pseudonym referring to his nicknames -- Dirty But Clean Pierre.

At the weekend, he admitted to spending much of his life in a drug-induced "haze", which led to him selling a friend's house and pocketing the proceeds. He told BBC that he would be spending his prize money paying off debts.

Also nominated were well-known Canadian writer Margaret Atwood, who won in 2000, plus Damon Galgut, Zoe Heller, Clare Morrall, and publishers' favorite Monica Ali.

Last year's winner, Canadian Yann Martel, sold one million copies of his prized novel titled "Life of Pi."

 
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