‘The Gathering’ wins Booker

Anne Enright won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction on Tuesday with “The Gathering,” an evocation of how dark secrets shape one Irish family, topping favorites Ian McEwan and Lloyd Jones in the contest for Britain’s most prestigious literary award.

Fusing melancholic lyricism with tart wit, Enright’s fourth novel defeated McEwan, Jones and three lesser-known finalists to claim the cash award of $102,000 at a black-tie dinner in London.

Enright is the fourth Irish-born author to win the contest, following John Banville’s victory in 2005 for “The Sea.” Her triumph also marks the seventh time in the last 20 years that a woman has won the award, which is sponsored by hedge-fund company Man Group and carries the promise of an almost certain increase in sales.