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Nick Laird has won the 2008 Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize for his second collection of poems entitled On Purpose. The £1,000 award was given to Laird by Geoffrey Faber’s grandson Toby in Faber's board room at its new offices on Great Russell Street, overlooking the British Museum.
Laird fought off competition from four other poets, all of whom were lauded by the panelists who spoke at the presentation.
But both Sam Leith, former literary editor of the Daily Telegraph, and poet and lecturer Jo Shapcott said Laird’s collection stood out above the rest.
Leith said On Purpose "confirms him among the very best of his generation of poets... Laird is unfailingly surefooted in his rhythms, and writes with his eyes and ears wide open. It’s a pleasure to read him".
Shapcott added his work was "edgy, intense, full of thinking...a spiky and beautiful book".
The annual award is given alternately to verse and prose, from a selection of authors chosen internally and without submission. Former winners include Seamus Heaney, JM Coetzee and Will Self.