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10,000 Pounds UK literary award for Neel Mukherjee

United Kingdom’s Encore Award for best second novel had been won by bengali writer Neel mukherjee for his novel ”The Lives of Others”. It was way back in 1990 that this award was first given that has cash prize of 10,000 pounds. This award is mainly given  for outstanding second novels often neglected in comparison with promising first books.

  • Alex Clark, chair of the Encore judges said they were impressed by the depth of Neel Mukerjee’s second novel, where a suburban house of 1960 in Calcutta shows political and social convulsions of the entire India.
  • From mass hunger of the Second World War to the independence and the emergence of Maoist Naxalbari movement, Mukherjee shows these years in Indian history through piercingly observed story of one family.
  • Mukherjee felt so humbled and honoured on getting this award and felt it is the coolest and most original literary award in the town.
  • He felt thrilled looking at the past winners of this prestigious award.
  • In 2010, Mukherjee’s first novel” A Life Apart” was published.
  • In 2014,the Lives of Others was shortlisted for Man Booker Prize and  Costa Novel Award.
  • Published by Random House India, ”The Lives of others” was chosen ahead of likes of ”Getting Colder” by Amanda Coe, Deborah Kay Davies ”Reasons She Goes to  the Woods”, Rebecca Hunts ” Everland ” etc.

Encore Award- what is it ??

  • This award was started in the year1990 and sponsored by Lucy Astor.
  • It is an award for second best novel.
  • The cash prize associated with this is10,000 pounds.
  • Peter Benson and Paul Watkinswere the first recipients of this award in 1990.

About Neel Mukherjee

  • Neel Mukherjee is an Indian writer, born in West bengal in the year 1970.
  • In 2008,, his book ”Past Continous” won Vodafone-Crossword Book award.
  • In 2009, he won GQ[India] Writer of the Year Award..

 





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