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Anna Burns scoops Orwell award for Milkman

Belfast writer Anna Burns has been lauded for her third novel, Milkman
Belfast writer Anna Burns has been lauded for her third novel, Milkman Belfast writer Anna Burns has been lauded for her third novel, Milkman

TWO books about the Troubles in Northern Ireland have won this year's prestigious Orwell prize.

Anna Burns' novel Milkman won the inaugural prize for political fiction, while the prize for political writing was awarded to Patrick Radden Keefe for his book Say Nothing.

Ms Burns, who is originally from north Belfast and grew up in Ardoyne, also became the first writer from Northern Ireland to win the Man Booker prize last year for her third novel, a coming-of-age story about a young girl's affair with a married man.

Tom Sutcliffe, the chair of judges for the prize and BBC Radio 4 presenter, described the book's tone of voice as "a marvel".

Say Nothing, by the New Yorker magazine staff writer Radden Keefe, examines the murder of mother-of-ten Jean McConville by the IRA in 1972.

The widowed mother was abducted from her Belfast home after she was suspected of being an informer.

Tulip Siddiq, Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, who chaired the judges for the award, described Say Nothing as "an extraordinary piece of writing".