A phenomenal literary talent:

Nam Le is the 2008 winner of the Dylan Thomas Prize

On the 10th of November 2008 the second winner of the largest literary prize for a writer under the age of 30 was announced to a tense and excited audience. Nam Le, author of the The Boat claimed the £60,000 prize from the shortlisted group of outstanding young writers.

Peter Florence chairman of the judging panel and director of the Hay Festival made the announcement at an exclusive awards dinner in Dylan Thomas’ hometown of Swansea, hosted by leading broadcaster, Jamie Owen. Dylan Thomas’ daughter and Patron of the Prize, Aeronwy Thomas along with official sponsor Professor Marc Clement from the University of Wales, presented Le with the cheque for £60,000.

Peter Florence, said: “It was a very difficult decision to pick an ultimate winner from such a competitive shortlist. In Nam Le, I am confident 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.

“Nam tackles his own background and circumstances as well as that of others with a clear eye, focussed intelligence and wonderful use of words. He is, in this panel’s opinion, a phenomenal literary talent, and I look forward to following his career as it progresses.”

As one of six finalists, Le stood out from an impressive group of authors from around the globe to win the Prize: London waiter Ross Raisin; 22-year old poet Caroline Bird, from Leeds, who was the youngest writer on the longlist; South African Harvard graduate Ceridwen Dovey; Dinaw Mengestu, a journalist and novelist from Ethiopia and Derby writer, Edward Hogan.

In a moving and gracious acceptance speech Le spoke of the talent of the other five shortlisted authors and the “crazy week” of events leading up to the announcement which included school and college visits, festival appearances, US election celebrations, getting muddy at  Clyne Farm  and indoor surfing at Swansea's LC.  The week all formed part of the Prize’s unique Educational Programme held across Wales, organised in co-operation with the Dylan Thomas Festival and the Prize’s sponsor the University of Wales.

The Boat has been described as a stunningly inventive, deeply moving fiction debut, a collection of short stories that take the readers from the slums of Colombia to the streets of Tehran; from New York City to Iowa City; from a tiny fishing village in Australia to a foundering vessel in the South China Sea, in a masterful display of literary virtuosity and feeling.

The Dylan Thomas Prize for young writers

Patrons Aeronwy Thomas, Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach

Ambassadors Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Sheen, The Rt. Hon Peter Hain MP, George Abbey, Andrew Davies, Jeff Towns

Advisory Council The Lord Rowe-Beddoe, The Rt. Hon Lord Anderson of Swansea, The Rt. Hon Lord Neil Kinnock