De Niro's Game by Rawi Hage, who was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and now lives in Montreal, Canada, has won the 13th annual International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, which carries a prize of 100,000 euros (about US$156,000) and aims to promote "excellence in world literature." Books are nominated by public librarians and can be from any country but must be published in English, at least in translation. This year 137 titles were nominated by 162 public libraries in 45 countries. The prize is managed by the Dublin Public Libraries.
De Niro's Game was first published by House of Anansi Press in Canada and was nominated by the Winnipeg Public Library. Last August it was published here in hardcover by Steerforth Press, distributed by Random House ($23.95, 9781581952230/1581952236), and will appear in August in paperback from Harper Perennial ($13.95, 9780061470578/0061470570).
The Prize described the book this way: "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."
The five judges praised the book for being "an eloquent, forthright and at times beautifully written first novel. Ringing with insight and authenticity the novel shows how war can envelop lives. It's a game where there are no winners, just degrees of survival. It's a wonderful debut and a deserving winner."