Tale of gay life in Britain wins a top literary prize

S. Lyall

LONDON, Oct. 19 - "The Line of Beauty," Alan Hollinghurst's lavish novel about a young gay man negotiating the confusions, delights and horrors of life in Thatcherite Britain in the mid-1980's, won the Man Booker Prize on Tuesday night, defeating David Mitchell's "Cloud Atlas," which had been widely considered the favorite to win.The novel is the fourth by Mr. Hollinghurst, 50, a former English teacher whose books have long explored themes of gay life and gay sex in Britain. Speaking to reporters after the prize was announced at a black-tie dinner at the Royal Horticultural Halls in Westminster, Mr. Hollinghurst said he was "exhilarated" but had not yet begun to think about what he might do with the prize money of £50,000, or about $90,000.