Jonathan Safran Foer has won the Guardian first book award 2002 for his novel Everything Is Illuminated.

Described as "genre breaking" it tells of a young Jewish American's search for the woman who saved his grandfather from the Nazis and was strong favourite to win.

Jonathan Safran Foer's Everything Is Illuminated

Safran Foer, who lives in New York, was presented with the award, worth �10,000, by Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger at a ceremony in London on Wednesday.

Shortlisted for the prize were Hari Kunzru's The Impressionist, Mapping Mars, by Oliver Morton, Alexandra Fuller's Don't Let's Go To The Dogs Tonight, and Sandra Newman's magic realist The Only Good Thing Anyone Has Ever Done.

The shortlist was picked by the public - from four reading groups in Glasgow, London, Brighton and Oxford chose the titles.

The winning book was decided by a panel of judges - including novelist Irvine Welsh, broadcaster Mark Lawson and actor Kathy Burke.

The competition, formerly known as the Guardian Fiction Award, has been running for 37 years.

Past winners of the award include John Berger, Beryl Bainbridge, Neil Jordan, JG Ballard and Tim Lott.

The 2001 award was won by Chris Ware for Jimmy Corrigan The Smartest Kid on Earth.