Atwood on World Booker shortlist

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Novelists Philip Roth, Margaret Atwood and Ian McEwan are among the nominees for the second Man Booker International Prize for Fiction.

The international version of the prize is given every two years to a living author published in English or whose work has been translated into English.

It recognises a body of work rather than being awarded for a single book.

The winner of the £60,000 prize is chosen from the 15-strong shortlist and will be announced in June.

Others on the shortlist include Doris Lessing, Peter Carey, Salman Rushdie and John Banville.

SHORTLISTED AUTHORS Chinua AchebeMargaret AtwoodJohn BanvilleMichael TournierPeter CareyCarlos FuentesIan McEwanHarry MulischDoris LessingAlice MunroMichael OndaatjeAmos OzPhilip RothSalman RushdieDon DeLillo

The original Booker Prize is open only to writers from Britain, Ireland and the Commonwealth.

The international award includes writers from Canada, Britain, the US, Australia, Ireland, France, Israel, Mexico, Nigeria and the Netherlands.

In a statement, the judging panel - academic Elaine Showalter and novelists Nadine Gordimer and Colm Toibin - said the nominees were "diverse in nationality, language, themes and techniques but united in their dedication to the power of the word".

The inaugural prize for the International Booker was won in 2005 by Albanian writer Ismail Kadare.