It was announced last night that British author Zadie Smith has won the 2006 Orange Prize for Fiction with her novel 'On Beauty'.
This is the third time that Smith has been nominated for the award.
Both her previous novels - 'White Teeth' (2000) and 'The Autograph Man' (2002) were also shortlisted and Smith was this year's bookies favourite.
After intense debate amongst the judges, Smith emerged triumphant to top a shortlist which included Ali Smith's 'The Accidental', Sarah Waters' 'The Night Watch' and 'The History of Love' by Nicole Krauss.
Martha Kearney, Chair of Judges, acclaimed 'On Beauty' as "a book which combines extraordinary characterisation with skilful and seemingly effortless plotting".
"It ranges from exposing the intimacies of family life to broader themes of aesthetics, ethics and the vagaries of academe in a literary tour de force," she continued.
As the winner of the eleventh Orange Prize for Fiction, Smith was presented with a cheque for £30,000 and a limited edition bronze statue known as the Bessie.
At the awards ceremony it was also announced that Naomi Alderman was the winner of the 2006 Orange Award for New Writers for her novel 'Disobedience'.
