days without end by sebastian barry. applause.ance of a posthumous winner, i got such a fright. it is often said about the short lists of prizes that any of them could have won and i think the judges would agree that on this occasion any of these amazing books could have won, leaving aside my own. i do want to thank the judges. you have made me crazy happy from the top of my head to my toes in a way that is a little bit improper at 61. iwant way that is a little bit improper at 61. i want to thank my extraordinary editor faber & faber, my angel, and my ex—agent, still the most eligible bachelor in london, and my new agent, natasha fairweather. i want to thank my wife who knows me better than i know myself, which is barely at all, and my three babies now grown, making their way in the world, and toby, to whom this book is dedicated. i don't know if you heard the little film but that prayer holds good and this book is dedicated to to be eternally, and thank you very much. applause. so, sebastian barry wind speed costa book of the ye

sebastian barry, days without end, leading the fiction category.aden out so strongly into a contemporary theme. it seems the judges have an almost impossible task. how do you compare a collection of poetry like falling awa ke collection of poetry like falling awake with a novel like dadland7. a certain extent books can live inside you. if they take you to another place, if they connect you to the world with thought and language then i guess that is a successful book. in a sense people a lwa ys successful book. in a sense people always have this objection to the costas, which i understand, but all competitions are comparing apples and pears. it is about the joy of language and the joy of ideas. did you have a favourite? i am deeply impressed and fond of sebastian barry's days without end, but i thought they were all exceptional. how do you feel this affects how people go out and choose books to read7 people go out and choose books to read? it is certainly up there with things like the booker prize, the novell, obviously, but it is always difficult t

the irish novelist, sebastian barry, has become the first person to win the prestigious costa book ofndon tonight, he won for his historical novel, days without end, set in 1850s, telling the story of two irish soldiers in america. he said he was inspired to write about a gay relationship after his son came out. that's a summary of the news. newsday is coming up at midnight. now on bbc news, it's time for newsnight with emily maitlis. tonight, we bring you a story

the irish novelist sebastian barry has become the first person to win the prestigious costa book of the for his historical novel, days without end, set in 1850s, telling the story of two irish soldiers in america. he said he was inspired to write about a gay relationship after his son came out. the united states says it's "deeply concerned" about the escalating violence in eastern ukraine and its warning of a greater humanitarian crisis. government troops and russian—backed rebels have been fighting for the past three days with both sides blaming each other for the conflict. thousands of people have been left without electricity and without any water in freezing temperatures in the town of avdiivka. our correspondent, tom burridge, sent this report from the front line. ukraine's easterly region knew hardship before the bombs. now there is an ugly persistence to europe's forgotten war and even when the soundtrack of fighting swells, surreal normality persists, as well as resilience. translation: it's like a constant every night. we can't sleep. we go to work, ride the bus and there is sh

the irish novelist, sebastian barry, has become the first person to win the prestigious costa book ofhe year award twice. at a ceremony in london tonight, he won for his historical novel, days without end, set in 18505, telling the story of two irish soldiers in america. he said he was inspired to write about a gay relationship after his son came out. that's a summary of the news. newsday is coming up at midnight. now on bbc news, it's time for newsnight with emily maitlis. tonight, we bring you a story that goes right to the heart of the brexit campaign. did a feud between the then prime minister and the editor of the daily mail help to shape how the nation voted? newsnight understands paul dacre believes david cameron was trying to have him removed. what does a feud between the country's most powerful figures tell you about how the battle was lost and won? the basic evidence is that this was a very important engine of the result. and dacre versus cameron — dacre won. absolutely. we'll hear from the sun's former political editor, trevor kava nagh. also tonight, the home secretary say

they are here, talking to each other, you can see with the beard the winner of the novel award, sebastian barryanks very much. all of the authors gathered for tonight ‘s big announcement. we will have the bbc news at six in a moment. first, let's ta ke news at six in a moment. first, let's take a look at the weather. northern ireland have won the prize for the best weather today. they took a while to the rain to clear away and then we got sunshine around the uk. -- it away and then we got sunshine around the uk. —— it tooka away and then we got sunshine around the uk. —— it took a while for the rain to clear away. there will be more rain later on in england and wales. this rain moving to the east. with it a lot of low cloud, mystique, murky weather and some hill fog. we will get some breaks in the cloud in northern scotland and thenit the cloud in northern scotland and then it will be chilly. —— misty, murky. it'll be chilly for a while. but we have this dull start tomorrow with rain and drizzle around. it will clear to the east and clear eastern england last of all. but afterwards, some sunshi

the previous costa book of the year winner sebastian barry took the novel award for days without end.er, the children's book award winner written by brian conaghan, a teenage adventure takes the spotlight. it's a tale of two friends faced with a terrible choice in a dystopian world. those are the books but who will win? iamjoined those are the books but who will win? i am joined by one of the judges, the writer, broadcaster, and presenter, graham norton. thanks very much. have you judged or book prize before? i have not but i read a lot. i just prize before? i have not but i read a lot. ijust came to it as someone who enjoys reading. that, in my head, was how i wasjudging the books, which one i enjoyed the most, which one i would recommend to friends. you are a writer, you have written two autobiographies, do not roll your eyes, and a novel. i wonder how much your experience as a writer influenced your position as a charge. having written a novel it makes you far more sympathetic, i think, because you know how much goes into it. the two novels... the three novels are exceptional. and