The Birdcage Archives

Friday 7 June 2013

IMPAC Literary Dublin Award Winner: Kevin Barry

Hello Gentle Reader

Kevin Barry, has won the European Union Prize for Literature in two-thousand and twelve for his novel “City of Bohane.” It is also Kevin Barry’s debut novel. His two previous works were short stories: “There are Little Kingdoms,” and most recently “Dark Lies the Island.” Now the Irish author scoops up the one hundred thousand dollar prize, beating out previous winner Michel Houellebecq and his novel “The Map and The Territory,” as well as Japanese surrealist Haruki Murakami with his large (and often called his magnum opus), “1Q84.” It’s quite an achievement for the writer, further puts him on the map, and countless lets me know that the author is a force to look out for on the world stage of literature. This novel may be set in the future, but it is snared in the past.

Barry has intended for the novel to be both a language experiment but also, an entertaining read. The only compassions I can make from the impressions given to me are – “A Clockwork Orange,” by Anthony Burgess, “The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with The Sea,” by Yukio Mishima and “Wonder, Wonderful Times,” by Elfriede Jelinek. In the end though it’s something entirely its own; and it sounds rather interesting.

Congratulations to Kevin Barry are certainly in order. I look forward to seeing his future output – and reading his current output.

Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader
Take Care
And As Always
Stay Well Read
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