Tan Twan Eng became the first Malaysian author to win the Man Asian Literary Prize Thursday with his novel The Garden of Evening Mists. The book, set during the aftermath of the Japanese occupation of Malaya, follows a young law graduate who discovers the only Japanese garden in Malaya, chronicling his relationship with its secretive owner and creator. Tan beat four other shortlisted authors, including Turkish Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk, to win the $30,000 prize. Last year's winner was Please Look After Mom by South Korean author Kyung-Sook Shin. The Man Asian literary prize, established in 2007, is given every year to the best novel by an Asian writer, either written or translated into English. The book, which was written in English, was also shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.