Alan Hollinghurst — at the University this semester as an Old Dominion Fellow and lecturer in the Humanities Council and the creative writing program — was awarded this year's Man Booker Prize for his novel, "The Line of Beauty," on Oct. 19.
The Booker Prize Committee votes annually on which novel written by a citizen of the British Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland receives the prestigious award.
In the frenzied world of the British press, the time leading up to the presentation the award often takes on the characteristics of a horse race, with bookmakers posting odds on which of the six shortlisted authors will take home the prize.
Hollinghurst's win was something of an upset, as David Mitchell's "Cloud Atlas" was the early odds-on favorite.
According to the prize's website, "The Man Booker Prize represents the very best of contemporary fiction. One of the world's most famous literary prizes, it continues to be the ultimate accolade for every fiction writer."
Along with the literary acclaim, Hollinghurst also received £50,000 with the prize. "The Line of Beauty," his fourth book, is the first gay novel to be awarded the prize during its 35-year history. The winning novel and those shortlisted often see dramatic surges in their sales after the announcement.
Hollinghurst's novel is set in 1980s England during Margaret Thatcher's years as prime minister.
Hollinghurst is teaching CWR 203: Creative Writing (Fiction) and CWR 303: Advanced Creative Writing (Fiction) at the University this semester in addition to directing two theses, said Edmund White, director of the creative writing program.
"We were shorthanded, so I asked Alan who was a friend of mine [to be a fellow at Princeton] and he agreed," White said. "He's enjoying it immensely."
"He's a very modest guy who really dreads interviews and publicity and I think it's really hard on him, all this attention," White added.
"He has said to the press that he was glad he's at Princeton during this whole time before the process," he said.
Past winners of the Booker Prize include Nobel Laureates J.M. Coetzee and V.S. Naipaul. Salman Rushdie, who won the prize in 1981, is scheduled to deliver a lecture organized by the Davis Center for Historical Studies at Princeton on Nov. 11.
Hollinghurst returned to England after the announcement was made and was unavailable for comment.
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