Manu Gunasena’s novel “The Prince”(reviewed in the Sunday Times Plus on September 28, 2008) has been listed for the world’s richest literary book award, the prestigious Impac Dublin Book Award 2010.
Published by Vijitha Yapa Publication last year, the former WEEKEND editor’s book chronicles “one man’s amazing search for ultimate treasure: The Stoic Stone, and how the omens show the way.”
The only other two contenders from Sri Lanka to have been accepted by the Impac panel to join the executive list of contestants, which includes heavy weights such as Salman Rushdie. Arundathi Roy, Aravind Adigar, Tony Morrison, Ian Buruma and a host of other best-selling authors, are, Ruana Rajepakse for her book ‘The Garland of Fate’ also published by Vijithayapa Publications and Sehani Gomes for her book “Learning to Fly”.
The Impac Dublin Award is held annually and this year 155 contestants have been selected from over 40 countries and the price money for the winning novels is one million euros.
Manu Gunasena is a law graduate from the London School of Economics and a Barrister – at – law from the Inner Temple.
Rauna Rajepakse is a lawyer by profession and the author of two professional books. Shehani Gomes was also a journalist and is now a management consultant.
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