Novel About Legendary Persian Poet Wins Russian Booker Prize

MOSCOW, November 5 (RIA Novosti) – The jury of the Russian Booker Prize named “Return to Panjrud” by Andrei Volos as this year’s best novel at a ceremony in Moscow on Wednesday.

The Russian Booker, the country’s premier literary award and the Russian equivalent of the Man Booker Prize, has been held annually since 1992.

The winner was chosen from a shortlist of six candidates. He will receive 1.5 million rubles (about $45,000) in prize money.

The remaining five authors on the shortlist will each receive 150,000 rubles ($4,500).

In his “Return to Panjrud,” Volos writes about the last days of legendary Middle Ages Persian poet Rudaki (858-941). The poet, once a highly honored companion of the sultan of Bukhara, eventually fell out of the ruler's favor and was tortured, blinded and expelled from the palace.

In Volos’ novel, the old blind poet is shown on his final way to his birthplace, to the small town of Panjrud. During the journey, he shares his wisdom with a boy who acts as his guide and recalls his days of glory.