Vietnamese author wins £60,000 Dylan Thomas Prize

VIETNAMESE author Nam Le has won the

2008 Dylan Thomas Prize.

The 29-year-old scooped the prestigious literary accolade last night for his debut collection of short stories.

Judge Peter Florence described plumping for a winner among the six finalists as painstaking.

He said: "It was a very difficult decision from such a competitive shortlist.

"In Nam Le, we have found a winner worthy of Dylan Thomas.

"His outstanding work demonstrated a rare brilliance that is breathtaking both in the scope of its subject matter and the quality of its writing.

"He is a phenomenal literary talent, and I look forward to following his career as it progresses."

Peter Florence made the announcement at an exclusive awards dinner in Dylan Thomas' hometown of Swansea, hosted by BBC broadcaster, Jamie Owen.

Dylan Thomas's daughter, and patron of the prize, Aeronwy Thomas presented Le with the award as well as a cheque for £60,000.