Howard Jacobson is one of six shortlisted authors for the 2014 Man Booker Prize for Fiction, it was announced Tuesday. He has been nominated for his novel, J, along with Joshua Ferris, Richard Flanagan, Karen Joy Fowler, Neel Mukherjee and Ali Smith.

Mr Jacobson (pictured) who won the prize in 2010 with The Finkler Question said he was "delighted" that J has been shortlisted.

He said: "J is set in an uncertain future time in an uncertain place. Something terrible has happened. Readers of the JC will, I imagine, understand only too well what that terrible something might be.

"And why the hero is from an early age told by his father to put two fingers over his lips when speaking a word that begins with a J."

Chair of the judges, AC Grayling said: "We had a lengthy and intensive debate to whittle the list down to these six.

The winner will be announced on Tuesday 14 October at a ceremony at London's Guildhall.

Meanwhile, JW3 is launching a award for young, unpublished writers to mark the 125th anniversary of the death of novelist Amy Levy, author of Reuben Sachs. The arts and culture centre has teamed up with the Jewish Quarterly, to announce the The Amy Levy Prize at their LitKicks festival on Sunday.

The £1,000 award will be handed out next summer and the winner will also receive a year's mentoring by prize-winning author Naomi Alderman."