Anna Burns won the International Dublin Literary Award for her 2018 novel, Milkman, becoming the first Northern Irish author, and the fourth woman, to take home the prize.
The award is the latest in a string of honors for the novel, which also won the Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. The novel tells the story of an 18-year-old woman being stalked by a shadowy older man; a reviewer for Kirkus called the book “a deeply stirring, unforgettable novel that feels like a once-in-a-generation event.”
Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu, who serves as the prize’s patron, said, “What a wonderful book and massively talented writer! I was so delighted to open that envelope and see Milkman written on the card!”
Burns said she was “thrilled to bits” with the recognition.
“To go from being a wee girl haggling over library cards with my siblings, my friends, neighbors, my parents and my aunt, to be standing here today receiving this award is phenomenal for me, and I thank you all again for this great honor,” she said.
The International Dublin Literary Award was established in 1994. Previous winners have included Nicola Barker for Wide Open, Orhan Pamuk for My Name Is Red, and Edward P. Jones for The Known World.
The award comes with a cash prize of $118,000, making it the world’s most lucrative award for an English-language novel.
Michael Schaub is a Texas-based journalist and regular contributor to NPR.
