Chigozie Obioma Shortlisted in the Race for $78,000 Booker Prize

The Fishermen, a novel written by Nigeria’s budding writer, Chigozie Obioma, is among the 13 novels shortlisted for the 2015 Man Booker Prize for fiction written in English.

The list was published today and also features the first Jamaican author in contention for the 50,000-pound ($78,000) prize, reported The News yesterday.

Marlon James is nominated for his third novel, A Brief History of Seven Killings, the story of the attempted assassination of reggae singer Bob Marley and its aftermath in the Jamaica of the 1970s and early 80s.

Also in contention are 2007 winner Anne Enright and writers from India, New Zealand, Ireland, the U.S. and Britain.

The list will be whittled down to six on September 15 and the winner will be announced on October 13 in London’s Guildhall.

The Fishermen is Obioma's first novel and has enjoyed rave reviews on BBC and New York Times.

Congrats Obi...