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Last night he got a "big fat cheque" for €100,000 (about $160,000), a Waterford Crystal trophy and a standing ovation for his emotional acceptance speech.
And then, Canadian novelist Rawi Hage found himself shivering on the sidewalk outside the Dublin City Hall, trying to process winning the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, considered the world's most lucrative literary prize for a single work of English fiction.
"I'm a little bit drunk now," he said, using his publisher's cellphone. "I can't think too philosophically."
While he was referring to the free-flowing wine at the black-tie affair, Mr. Hage's trajectory from Montreal cab driver to toast of the literary world is truly intoxicating.
Rawi Hage, author of De Niro's Game poses in his Montreal home in 2006. Photo: Christinne Muschi/The Globe and Mail
Rawi Hage’s award-winning Di Nero’s Game was found from its publisher’s slush pile. Here are some other examples of literary works that found fame after humble beginnings:
A Confederacy of Dunces: John Kennedy Toole’s book was rejected numerous times and was finally published in 1980, 11 years after Toole committed suicide. It went on to win the Pulitzer.
The Best Laid Plans: After Terry Fallis failed to secure a publisher for his debut novel, he published the book himself. It won this year’s Leacock award for humour - and a publisher.
The Wealthy Barber: Canada’s all-time bestselling book was published in author David Chilton’s basement.
The Celestine Prophecy: James Redfield decided to self-publish his inspirational book and began by selling the book out of the trunk of his car. The number-one bestseller in 1996 went on to sell over 5 million copies.
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His winning novel, 2006's De Niro's Game — the first debut novel to nab the prize in its 13-year history — tells the tale of two young friends making their way in dangerous, dusty, war-torn Beirut. Born there in 1964, Mr. Hage lived through nine years of civil war before leaving for New York City when he was 18. He emigrated to Montreal in 1992, where he embarked on a writing career while driving a cab, and studying and working in fine art photography. He started writing when a curator asked him to keep journals during a photography project.
"That gave me the confidence to write, that I can write and should write," he said.
The unsolicited manuscript, written in Mr. Hage's third language (Arabic and French are first and second) was famously plucked out of a slush pile at Toronto-based publisher House of Anansi Press. After the book was published in 2006, it was nominated for two prestigious Canadian prizes, the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Governor General's Literary Award, and won many others, including the McAuslan First Book Prize and the Prix de Libraires Du Quebec.
The novel has been praised for its rhythmic, cinema verite-style. One of the IMPAC judges, Irish writer Eibhlin Evans, said that the novel, "... shows how war can envelope life. It's a game where there are no winners, just degrees of survival."
Canadian and international sales have hit 25,000 and are likely to climb after yesterday's win. Having learned of the win in late May, the publishing house quietly printed 15,000 new paperback editions featuring the graphic cover of the book's U.K. edition and a gold seal announcing the IMPAC honour.
In his acceptance speech last night, Mr. Hage drew parallels between Ireland and Lebanon, railing against "tribal self-righteousness." Quoting Cuban painter Marcelo Pogolotti, Irish writer James Joyce and exiled Iraqi poet and friend Saadi Youssef, Mr. Hage described evolving into "a creature who loathed borders."
Huddled on the sidewalk, he said he hopes that line doesn't get him into trouble. Canadians have been quick to claim him as one of their own — "and rightly so," he said, adding that being a Canadian writer and being a writer of the world need not be mutually exclusive.
"Literature always transcended borders," he said. "If there's anything about the importance of art, it is that it transcends cultures and borders."
That said, the city of Winnipeg had a little something to do with Mr. Hage's win and received a special thank you at the podium last night. Public libraries from around the world put forward the IMPAC nominees; the Winnipeg Public Library nominated De Niro's Game.
A panel of five international judges chose De Niro's Game over 136 other international entries. The shortlist of eight included Patrick McCabe's Winterwood, Yasmina Khadra's The Attack, Sayed Kashua's Let it Be Morning and Javier Cercas's The Speed of Light.
Mr. Hage is only the second Canadian to win the IMPAC award. Alistair MacLeod won in 2001 for his novel No Great Mischief.
While it could have been the wine talking, Mr. Hage says he's getting used to the spotlight glare that comes with literary recognition.
"I had a lot of practice in Canada. I was nominated for a lot of awards. So I know the gig now," he said. "I'm well-rehearsed in this. I even have the clothes for this."
Still, he admits to feeling a little nervous before any speech. "But once I'm there, I tend to forget everything and just speak my mind," he said.
Mr. Hage was keen to jokingly boast about his next novel, Cockroach, which comes out in August.
"It's about Montreal, the cold, mental illness and immigrants. It's a very intricately woven novel. It's very well-written in my opinion and the opinion of my publisher and the people who've read it. They're all raving about it."
But last night, he was most interested in the immediate future. "I'm going to go inside and finish my drink, how about that?"
