Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code' named British book of the year

LONDON (AP) _ The best seller ``The Da Vinci Code'' has been named Britain's book of the year. <br/><br/>Its author, Dan Brown, was not in Britain to accept the prize. Instead, he delivered

Thursday, April 21st 2005, 10:15 am

By: News On 6

LONDON (AP) _ The best seller ``The Da Vinci Code'' has been named Britain's book of the year.

Its author, Dan Brown, was not in Britain to accept the prize. Instead, he delivered a videotaped acceptance speech, played at the British Book Awards ceremony in London.

``The Da Vinci Code'' is a conspiracy thriller that's ignited a religious debate around the world. Suggestions in the novel that Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene and has descendants have outraged many Christians and have been dismissed by historians and theologians.

For his part, Brown said: ``For the record, it is a novel.''

Other winners at today's awards ceremony included former president Bill Clinton whose autobiography, ``My Life,'' won biography of the year.