Pierre, DBC (1961-…), is the pen name of Peter Finlay, an Australian-born author who won the Man Booker Prize in 2003. The prize, now called the Booker Prize, is the highest literary award given in the United Kingdom. Pierre won the award for Vernon God Little (2003), his first novel.
Pierre’s novel is a black comedy set in the Southwestern United States. Vernon God Little is a 15-year-old boy living in a small Texas town. The teen-ager lies his way into trouble and eventually is put on trial for a mass killing of 16 people at his high school. Vernon, who is innocent of the murders, is surrounded by grotesque adults determined to use him as a scapegoat. Throughout the novel, Pierre satirizes the news media, the criminal justice system, and what he sees as the materialism corrupting modern culture.
Peter Warren Finlay was born on June 18, 1961, in Reynella, South Australia. His pen name is a nickname given to him by friends, taken from a cartoon character called Dirty Pierre. DBC stands for Dirty But Clean. Finlay grew up in Mexico and now lives in Ireland. Before winning the Booker Prize, he led a turbulent life, which included drug addiction, gambling, and theft. The author’s background led to controversy after he was chosen for the award.
