Rushdie novel is top Booker winner

Sir Salman Rushdie's novel Midnight's Children has been named the greatest Booker-prize winner of all time.

Salman Rushdie s Midnight s Children tipped to win Best of Booker Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children tipped to win Best of Booker

The novel, the British author's second, wins the title 27 years after its publication, when it was hailed as a masterpiece in postcolonial literature.

The win is a treble for the acclaimed and controversial Indian-born author of The Satanic Verses, whose knighthood, which he received earlier this year from the Queen, drew protests from a number of Muslim countries.

Magic realist novel Midnight's Children won the Booker in 1981 and the Booker of Bookers, the only other time a celebratory award has been created for the prize, in 1993.

Six revered books were in the running for the Best of the Booker, chosen from the 41 winners over the years.

They included Disgrace (1999), the most recent title on the shortlist, by South African-born author JM Coetzee, whom bookies installed as second-favourite to win after Sir Salman.

Australian author Peter Carey was in the running for Oscar And Lucinda, which gave him the first of his two Booker prize wins in 1988.

The Siege Of Krishnapur, which won the prize for the late Liverpool-born author JG Farrell in 1973; The Ghost Road, by Yorkshire-born author Pat Barker, a winner in 1995; and The Conservationist, a Booker winner in 1974 for South African writer Nadine Gordimer, were also shortlisted.

The one-off award was voted for by readers around the world and celebrates the 40th anniversary later this year of the Booker after its launch in 1969.

Sir Salman, 61, on tour in the US to promote his latest novel, The Enchantress Of Florence, sent a pre-recorded message to the award ceremony in London, saying: "Marvellous news! I'm absolutely delighted and would like to thank all those readers around the world who voted for Midnight's Children."

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