The prize, worth U.S. $ 97,000, is presented to a writer for his “achievement in fiction on the world stage, ” organizers said.
Roth, 78, said: “This is a great honor and I am pleased to welcome you.”
His works include the novel “American Pastoral” for which he received the Pulitzer Prize in 1997. At age 26, wrote his first book, “Goodbye, Columbus. “
The announcement was made at a press conference in Australia during the Sydney Writers’ Festival. The award will be presented at a gala dinner in London, the British capital on 28 June, however a spokesman said Roth will not attend.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1933, Roth’s controversial novel “Portnoy’s Complaint”, 1969, drew worldwide attention for its graphic sexuality.
Time magazine included the work on a list of the best novels of the twentieth century.