Smith wins Whitbread novel prize

From the BBC:

_41178152_alismith_203Author Ali Smith’s first full-length novel, The Accidental, has won the Whitbread Novel of the Year award.

The Scottish writer beat authors including Salman Rushdie and Nick Hornby to the title.

Tash Aw picked up the first novel award for The Harmony Silk Factory, beating Rachel Zadok amongst others.

All the category winners receive £5,000 and compete for the prestigious Whitbread Book of the Year title, which carries an additional £25,000 prize.

More here.