US writer Joyce Carol Oates wins France's richest book prize

Institut de France has announced Joyce Carol Oates as the recipient of the Cino del Duca literary prize, which honours her long carrier of more than 60 novels. Photo: AFP

US writer Joyce Carol Oates, so often a bridesmaid for the Nobel literature prize, won France's richest books prize on May 25.

The Cino del Duca World Prize, which is worth US$218,000 (RM951,000), is often seen as a stepping stone to the Nobel, with Andrei Sakharov, Mario Vargas Llosa and the French novelist Patrick Modiano all winning it before going on to Nobel glory.