Saunders wins 2017 Man Booker Prize

US author George Saunders on Tuesday became only the second American writer to win Britain's renowned Man Booker Prize, which was awarded for his first full-length novel "Lincoln in the Bardo", reports AFP.

Judges for the world's most prestigious English-language literary award praised as "utterly original" the book that chronicles the death of Abraham Lincoln's 11-year-old son Willie using the accounts of hundreds of narrators.

"The form and style of this utterly original novel reveals a witty, intelligent, and deeply moving narrative," said Lola Young, chair of the judging panel, in announcing the prize at a ceremony in London.

Saunders, 58, described the award as a "great honour, which I hope to live up to with the rest of my work, for the rest of my life."

In a brief, politically-tinged acceptance speech, he made several thinly-veiled references to the controversial policies of US President Donald Trump.

"We live in a strange time," he told the audience. "In the US now we're hearing a lot about the need to protect culture. Well, this tonight is culture."

He later told reporters he was in disbelief and numb at the award.

"For an artist, I think validation is really helpful," he added.

"My opinion of myself improves a little bit."

The winner of the Man Booker receives £52,500 ($69,300, 58,800 euros), although the bigger prize is seen as a spike in sales which invariably follow the announcement of the winner. This year's shortlist stoked controversy over its big name omissions and eclectic line up, with one British columnist calling it "baffling" and a leading US critic decrying its "Americanisation".

Saunders wins 2017 Man Booker Prize

US author George Saunders on Tuesday became only the second American writer to win Britains renowned Man Booker Prize, which was awarded for his first full-length novel Lincoln in the Bardo, reports AFP. Judges for the worlds most prestigious English-language literary award praised as utterly original the book that chronicles the death of Abraham Lincolns 11-year-old son Willie using the accounts of hundreds of narrators. The form and style of this utterly original novel reveals a witty, intelligent, and deeply moving narrative, said Lola Young, chair of the judging panel, in announcing the prize at a ceremony in London. Saunders, 58, described the award as a great honour, which I hope to live up to with the rest of my work, for the rest of my life. In a brief, politically-tinged acceptance speech, he made several thinly-veiled references to the controversial policies of US President Donald Trump. We live in a strange time, he told the audience. In the US now were hearing a lot about the need to protect culture. Well, this tonight is culture. He later told reporters he was in disbelief and numb at the award. For an artist, I think validation is really helpful, he added. My opinion of myself improves a little bit. The winner of the Man Booker receives 52,500 ($69,300, 58,800 euros), although the bigger prize is seen as a spike in sales which invariably follow the announcement of the winner. This years shortlist stoked controversy over its big name omissions and eclectic line up, with one British columnist calling it baffling and a leading US critic decrying its Americanisation.