By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon

Jamaican novelist Marlon James has won the Man Booker Prize for his novel “A Brief History of Seven Killings.”

He is the first Jamaican to win the prestigious literary award in its 48-year history.

James won for his novel “A Brief History of Seven Killings,” which was released last year to critical acclaim, and uses the true story of the attempt on the life of Bob Marley to explore Jamaican gangs and politics.

The New York Times described it as “raw, dense, violent, scalding, darkly comic, exhilarating and exhausting — a testament to Mr James’ vaulting ambition and prodigious talent.”

James, who was born in Kingston, now lives in Minneapolis and teaches at Macalester College in St Paul. His first novel, “John Crow’s Devil” was published in 2005.

The prize was awarded last night at London’s Guildhall, where James said he was so certain that he wouldn’t win that he didn’t even prepare an acceptance speech.