John Banville wins 2011 Franz Kafka Prize

Writer John Banville has won the prestigious Franz Kafka Prize for literature. The accolade, administered by the Prague-based Franz Kafka Society, is awarded annually for a body of work of "exceptional literary creation". The society was established shortly after the collapse of communism in 1989 to promote the legacy of Kafka and other German and Jewish writers from Prague. The award - a scaled-down model of the monument to Franz Kafka in Prague and a cash prize of $10,000 (€7,100) - was established by the society in 2001. The Wexford-born writer, chosen from a 15-strong candidate list, is the 11th recipient of the award