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Poet Reid wins Costa Book prize Poet Reid wins Costa Book prize
(10 minutes later)
Poet Christopher Reid has won the 2009 Costa Book of the Year for his collection of poems A Scattering.Poet Christopher Reid has won the 2009 Costa Book of the Year for his collection of poems A Scattering.
The collection is a tribute to Reid's wife, Lucinda Gane, who died in 2005, and was written during her final illness and after her death.The collection is a tribute to Reid's wife, Lucinda Gane, who died in 2005, and was written during her final illness and after her death.
The judges described A Scattering as "intensely moving, compelling and honest".The judges described A Scattering as "intensely moving, compelling and honest".
Reid was presented with the £30,000 award at a central London ceremony on Tuesday evening.Reid was presented with the £30,000 award at a central London ceremony on Tuesday evening.
COSTA BOOK FINALISTS Colm Toibin - Brooklyn (novel)Christopher Reid - A Scattering (poetry)Raphael Selbourne - Beauty (first novel)Graham Farmelo - The Strangest Man (biography)Patrick Ness - The Ask and the Answer (children)COSTA BOOK FINALISTS Colm Toibin - Brooklyn (novel)Christopher Reid - A Scattering (poetry)Raphael Selbourne - Beauty (first novel)Graham Farmelo - The Strangest Man (biography)Patrick Ness - The Ask and the Answer (children)
Accepting his award, Reid said: "I am absolutely delighted and bewildered to be the recipient of this important literary prize.Accepting his award, Reid said: "I am absolutely delighted and bewildered to be the recipient of this important literary prize.
"The book itself was difficult to write, but it has had a very happy time since it fell into the hands of my publisher.""The book itself was difficult to write, but it has had a very happy time since it fell into the hands of my publisher."
Reid thanked the judges for their "generosity and kindness".Reid thanked the judges for their "generosity and kindness".
Introducing the finalists, author Josephine Hart, who was chair of the judges, said the panel was "full of admiration" for all of the books.Introducing the finalists, author Josephine Hart, who was chair of the judges, said the panel was "full of admiration" for all of the books.
But she added that the final decision was arrived at by a "substantial majority". But she added that the final decision was arrived at by a "substantial majority" and described the collection as a "master work".
He beat bookmaker's favourite Colm Toibin, who won the novel award earlier this month with Brooklyn, to take the prize. Hart continued: "We feel that what Christopher Reid did was to take a personal tragedy and to make the emotion and the situation universal.
Christopher Reid: "It's a book I would much rather not have had to write"
"It is bizarrely life-enhancing because it speaks of the triumph of love before and after death."
She added: "It's packed with lines that are unforgettable... We all felt that this is a book we would wish everyone to read from late adolescence, 14 to 15 years old onwards.
"We regard this work as austere and beautiful and moving."
Reid beat bookmaker's favourite Colm Toibin, who won the novel award earlier this month with Brooklyn, to take the prize.
The award's categories are split into novel, first novel, poetry, biography and children's book, with each individual winner pocketing £5,000.The award's categories are split into novel, first novel, poetry, biography and children's book, with each individual winner pocketing £5,000.
Other contenders had included Raphael Selbourne, who won the first novel award for Beauty, the story of a young Bangladeshi woman on the run from an abusive marriage.
Top awardsTop awards
Raphael Selbourne, Graham Farmelo and Patrick Ness made up the finalists. Graham Farmelo was in the running for The Strangest Man, the book, which landed the biography title, about the life of physicist Paul Dirac.
Patrick Ness was up for the prize after winning the children's book award for The Ask and the Answer which the judges acclaimed as "a major achievement in the making".
A Scattering has also been nominated for the UK's two other top poetry awards - the Forward Poetry Prize and the TS Eliot Prize for Poetry.A Scattering has also been nominated for the UK's two other top poetry awards - the Forward Poetry Prize and the TS Eliot Prize for Poetry.
Originally established in 1971 by Whitbread, Costa took over the sponsorship of the prize in 2006.Originally established in 1971 by Whitbread, Costa took over the sponsorship of the prize in 2006.
Since the introduction of the Book of the Year award in 1985, it has been won nine times by a novel, four times by a first novel, five times by a biography, six times by a poetry collection and once by a children's book.Since the introduction of the Book of the Year award in 1985, it has been won nine times by a novel, four times by a first novel, five times by a biography, six times by a poetry collection and once by a children's book.