來自美國的女作家Marilynne Robinson的小說《家》(Home)，在日前揭曉的英國著名女性文學獎- 桔子獎 (Orange Prize)評選中獲勝。在所有獲得提名的作家中，Robinson是相對最知名的一位，《家》是她的第三部小說?！都摇返墨@獎沒有任何爭議，所有的評委一致把選票投給了她。小說講述了一個回家的浪子，通過他的視角，回顧了不堪的過去，同時努力從酗酒的生活中掙脫。

現年66歲的Robinson從事寫作已經有28年的時間，從產量來說，她并不是一位高產作家，但她僅有的三部作品都以質取勝。1981年，她出版了第一部作品。她的第二部小說《Gilead》獲得了普利策文學獎。

雖然《家》的主題比較普通，但評委會主席，BBC4臺的Fi Glover表示：“幾位評委都選擇了《家》，我們每個人心中的前三名的名單中都有這部作品，Robinson的獲獎沒有懸念。我喜歡她寫作的風格，她的文字中有一種獨特的魅力，這是一本充滿智慧的小說，雖然是一個大家都熟悉的主題，但她在書中展現了自己獨到的思想。《家》是一部深刻的作品?！?/p>

《獨立報》的書評作家Salley Vickers評論《家》“不是以情節取勝的一部作品。就象奧斯汀的作品一樣，它風格獨特，Robinson表達的核心在于人與人之間的微妙情感。她通過自己細致入微的觀察和全身心的體會，充分演繹了人對愛的渴求和追尋。

桔子獎是英國最著名的女性文學獎，只頒給女性作家的作品。桔子獎是與布克獎和Costa獎齊名的重要文學獎項。一般說來，獲獎作品的市場前景都頗為樂觀。

Prodigal son parable wins Orange Prize

In her 28 years of writing, Marilynne Robinson has been far from prolific. But the American author's track record for producing quality rather than quantity in fiction was confirmed last night when her third (and latest) novel won the prestigious Orange Prize.

The 66-year-old writer was the "unanimous" choice of the panel judging the women-only fiction award, presented at a ceremony in London's Royal Festival Hall. Her novel, Home, is a profound examination of family life told through the eyes of a prodigal son returning home to confront his past and his alcoholism.

Robinson was probably the best-known writer on the shortlist for the ￡30,000 award, now in its 14th year. Her first novel, Housekeeping, was published in 1981 and her following work, Gilead, won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

Fi Glover, the BBC Radio 4 broadcaster and chairwoman of the judges, said :"It was a unanimous verdict. It was quite an easy victory for Mary. All of us brought Home to the table. Some of us had other books but everyone had it in their final bundle of two or three titles. I loved the story for the quality of the writing, there was a luminous quality to her words. It is a very wise book in that she takes a familiar theme but she imparts great wisdom with it. It is a profound work of art."

Reviewing the novel for The Independent, the author Salley Vickers wrote: "Home is not a novel in which plot matters. Like Jane Austen, but in a different key, Robinson's intent focus is the super-subtleties of human exchange. The heart of this utterly absorbing, precisely observed, marvellous novel is the fumbling inadequacy of love."

The award, which rubs shoulders with the Booker and Costa as one of the most lucrative and respected English-language literary prizes, is likely to produce a sales fillip for Robinson,

（Source: Independent，英國使館文化教育處提供）