Man Booker Awards Open to US Authors Next Year

The British literary world is “stunned,” reports the UK Independent, by the news that the influential Man Booker Awards will allow entries from U.S. authors next year.

The organizers say that excluding US writers is increasingly “anachronistic.” Indeed, nationalities are becoming more fluid. For instance, Ruth Ozeki, on the shortlist for A Tale for the Time Being, (Penguin/Viking), was born in New Haven CT., studied at Smith College, and now lives in both the U.S. and Canada. Jumpa Lahiri, author of The Lowland,  (RH/Knopf), was born in London to Indian immigrants, moved with her family to the U.S. when she was two, currently lives in Rome, but has said she considers herself American.

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