Salman Rushdie wins Joyce award

DUBLIN, Ireland, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- University College Dublin reportedly has honored Indian-born British author Salman Rushdie with its James Joyce Award.

The BBC said Rushdie addressed students as he accepted his award and read from his latest effort "The Enchantress of Florence."

Previous winners of the prize were author Bill Bryson, comic actor Will Ferrell and soccer great Gary Lineker.

"My little contribution has been to create an Indian English to go alongside the Irish English, Caribbean English and Australian English," the BBC quoted Rushdie as saying. "James Joyce was probably more of an inspiration to me than any other writer ever has been. To get an award with his name on it is a really moving thing. I'm very happy to have it."