'Skippy Dies' earns high praise

A novel by Irish author Paul Murray has been selected as the third best fiction book of the year by Time magazine.

A novel by Irish author Paul Murray has been selected as the third best fiction book of the year by Time magazine.

Skippy Dies finished third in Time's "Top 10 of Everything of 2010".

"Skippy Dies is one of the liveliest and most poignant books of the year, and it will leave you eager for whatever Murray writes next," Time  said.

The novel is the second offering by the Dublin-born Murray (35). Skippy Dies  was earlier this year shortlisted for the 2010 Costa Novel award and longlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

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The 660-page novel was published in January. It was seven years in the writing, and originally ran to more than 1,000 pages.

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen was selected as Time's best fiction book of the year, with A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan finishing as runner-up.

Steven Carroll

Steven Carroll

Steven Carroll is an Assistant News Editor with The Irish Times