Banville shortlisted for Man Booker International Prize

IRELAND’S John Banville has been pitched against literary heavyweights Philip Roth, Salman Rushdie and 13 other writers from around the world in the shortlist for the Man Booker International Prize.

The shortlist ranged from Nigerian Chinua Achebe and Britain’s Ian McEwan to Australian Peter Carey, Canada’s Margaret Atwood and Israeli Amos Oz.

The judges said: “We offer a gift to readers all over the world, an opportunity to join a conversation on 15 writers, diverse in nationality, language, themes and techniques but united in their dedication to the power of the word.”