De Niro's Game by Rawi Hage has scooped the world’s richest literary prize by being awarded the 13th annual International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award today, announced by the Lord Mayor, Cllr Paddy Bourke, Patron of the Award.

Hage, who was born in Beirut, lived through nine years of civil war in the city before emigrating to Canada. His debut novel beat off competition from 137 titles, nominated by 162 public libraries from 45 countries.

The winning novel, first published by House of Anansi Press, Canada, was chosen by a panel of five international judges from a shortlist of eight, including Patrick McCabe’s, Winterwood, heralded by critics as the Monaghan man’s best work yet.

Details and Judges Citation

De Niro’s Game is told through the eyes of Bassam, as he grows up with his childhood friend George, in war-ravaged Beirut. As the young men reach adulthood they must choose their futures: to stay in the city and embrace a life of crime or go into exile abroad, alienated from the only existence they have known.

On hearing about his win Rawi Hage said "I am a fortunate man. After a long journey of war, displacement and separation, I feel that I am one of the few wanderers who is privileged enough to have been rewarded, and for that I am very grateful. My gratitude extends to many people, but let me start with special thanks to the people of Ireland for their legendary hospitality and love of literature and words; to the organizers of the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the award’s sponsors; and to the city of Dublin and its Lord Mayor. As well, to all those women and men of letters, and all artists who have chosen to represent multiple and diverse voices and people in their work, and to all those men and women who have chosen the painful and costly portrayal of truth over tribal self-righteousness, I am grateful. We should all be grateful."

The IMPAC DUBLIN panel, which this year included Irish academic and writer Eibhlín Evans, said: “Rawi Hage's De Niro's Game is an eloquent, forthright and at times beautifully written first novel. Ringing with insight and authenticity the novel shows how war can envelope lives. It's a game where there are no winners, just degrees of survival. It's a wonderful debut and a deserving winner.”

The IMPAC DUBLIN award is unique for being the largest literary prize for a single work of fiction published in English, as well as for being nominated by public libraries from around the globe. De Niro's Game was nominated by Winnipeg Public Library, in Rawi Hage’s adopted home of Canada.

Cllr Paddy Bourke, Lord Mayor of Dublin said the strength of the IMPAC DUBLIN award lies in the nominations coming from libraries all over the world. “This year, as has been the case so many times in the past”, he said, “readers from every corner of the world have uncovered wonderful novels that otherwise may never have grasped public attention. IMPAC, Dublin City Council and Dublin City Libraries are extremely proud that the event has grown into one of the highlights not only of the Irish, but also the international, literary calendar.”

“The Award also highlights what an invaluable resource our libraries are – we can open up a world of learning with only a library card.”

Also shortlisted were;

Winterwood by Patrick McCabe; The Attack by Yasmina Khadra; Let it be Morning by Sayed Kashua; The Woman Who Waited by Andrei Makine; The Sweet & Simple Kind by Yasmine Gooneratne; Dreams of Speaking by Gail Jones and The Speed of Light by Javier Cercas.

The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award is managed by Dublin City Libraries, on behalf of Dublin City Council. It is sponsored by IMPAC, an international management productivity company with its European headquarters in Dublin.

The Award is presented annually with the objective of promoting excellence in world literature. It is open to novels written in any language and by authors of any nationality, provided the work has been published in English or English translation in the specified time period as outlined in the rules and conditions for the year. Nominations are submitted by library systems in major cities throughout the world.

All the novels nominated can be viewed on

www.impacdublinaward.ie.

Previous winners of the prestigious award include:
Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson (2007) and The Master by Colm Tóibín (2006)

This year there were five members of the international panel of judges chaired by Hon. Eugene R. Sullivan;

Helon Habila, the award-winning author of Waiting for an Angel (2002) and Measuring Time (2007), teaches Creative Writing at the George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.
Patricia Duncker, author of four novels including Hallucinating Foucault (1996) and Miss Webster and Cherif (2006), is Professor of Contemporary Literature at the University of Manchester.
Aamer Hussein is a poet and Director of the MA in National and International Literatures in English at the Institute of English Studies (University of London).
José Luis de Juan was born in Palma, Majorca. He has written six novels, short stories and two non-fiction books, as well as poetry. He has received literary awards in Spain and France and his works have been translated into English, French and Italian.
Eibhlín Evans grew up in Dublin and moved to England where she gained a PhD in English and Philosophy. She returned to Dublin in 2004 and became a member of the School of English and Drama at University College Dublin where she has been involved in the recently established M.A. Degree in Creative Writing. Eibhlín has published academic articles, essays and reviews and has edited a collection of essays on Irish writing.

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For further information: Dublin City Council Press Office : 086 815 0010