Irish writer shortlisted for Booker

IRISH writer Anne Enright is on the six-book shortlist for this year’s Man Booker Prize for Fiction.

The Dublin-born author was chosen for her fourth novel, The Gathering. The story is a family epic tracing the line of hurt and redemption through three generations — starting with the grandmother, Ada Merriman — showing how memories warp and family secrets fester.

The list is dominated by newcomers, with Booker- winner Ian McEwan the only author who has been previously shortlisted.

McEwan is nominated for On Chesil Beach.

Chair of judges Howard Davies is joined on the panel by poet Wendy Cope; journalist and author Giles Foden; biographer and critic Ruth Scurr; and the actor and writer Imogen Stubbs.

Kiran Desai won last year with The Inheritance of Loss.

This year’s shortlist includes Darkmans by Nicola Barker; The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid; Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones; On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan and Animal’s People by Indra Sinha.

The winner will be announced on October 16.