BERLIN, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The author Robert Menasse has been awarded the prestigious German Book Prize on Monday night for his novel "Die Hauptstadt" (The Capital) set in the European Union's de-facto capital Brussels.
"Die Hauptstadt" charts the difficulties and contradictions of the European Union through the personal experience of several Brussels-based protagonists. Despite its many challenges, the novel by the Viennese-born Menasse ultimately makes a passionate call for continental unity.
Addressing the jury upon receipt of his prize, Menasse described the process of European integration as the "central" political development of his lifetime. He defended the often-maligned EU bureaucracy in Brussels as "sometimes quirky, but sometimes also very brave."
"Die Hauptstadt" was already a commercial success prior to its award success. The German Book Prize is worth 25,000 euros (29,000 U.S. dollars) and is considered to be one of the most significant literary prizes in the German-speaking world.
