The proud author and his prize-winning book.

Australia‘s premier literary prize has been awarded to Nam Le, says a Sydney Morning Herald report. The Prime Minister’s Literary Award for fiction, which comes with a $100,000 (AD) purse, went to Le for The Boat.

According to the SMH, “The much-awarded debut collection of short stories by Le, 30, who came to Australia as a Vietnamese refugee, covers a cosmopolitan cast of characters, from a Colombian gang member to Vietnamese boat people. ‘Le combines almost reckless artistic boldness with highly disciplined craft,’ said the judges.”

The award ceremony was held, fittingly enough, amid creaking masts at Sydney’s National Maritime Museum. Should have been a dead give-away for the odds-makers.