Philip Roth wins Man Booker prize
Hailed for his body of work which spans 50 years, Roth defeated 13 eminent contenders to take out the STG60,000 ($A91,750) prize, announced at the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday.
"His imagination has not only recast our idea of Jewish identity, it has also re-animated fiction, and not just American fiction, generally," chief judge Dr Rick Gekoski said.
Roth, who was born in New Jersey in 1933 and now lives in Connecticut, could not travel to Australia to attend, due to back problems.
"I hope, in general, to bring more attention to readers around the world who are not familiar with my work," he said in a video message.
