Commonwealth Writers announces regional winners for 2012 prizes
21 May 2012
Commonwealth Writers has announced
the regional winners for the 2012 Commonwealth Book Prize and Commonwealth Short
Story Prize. Representing Africa, Asia, Canada & Europe, Caribbean, and the
Pacific regions, these new writers will now compete for overall winner which
will be announced at Hay Festival on 8 June.
Commonwealth Book Prize
Regional Winner,
Africa
Jacques Strauss, South Africa The Dubious Salvation of
Jack V, Jonathan Cape
Regional Winner,
Asia
Shehan Karunatilaka, Sri Lanka, Chinaman: The Legend of
Pradeep Mathew, Random House
Regional Winner, Canada and
Europe
Riel Nason, Canada, The Town that Drowned, Goose
Lane Editions
Regional Winner,
Caribbean
Alecia McKenzie, Jamaica, Sweetheart, Peepal Tree
Press
Regional Winner,
Pacific
Cory Taylor, Australia, Me and Mr Booker, The Text
Publishing Company
Commenting on the winners, Chair of the
Commonwealth Book Prize, Margaret Busby said, “We were wonderfully spoilt for
choice among some strong regional contenders on the shortlist, and although we
could not take every favourite further, the books that triumphed are a reminder
of what the best fiction can be: moving, entertaining, enlightening, exciting,
engaging our thoughts and emotions, while creating an intimate connection with
someone else’s imagination. Here are novels with memorable characters,
unpredictable situations, a sense of humour, books that give insights into
cultures and histories not our own, crafted by writers who care about language,
and its ability to renew and enrich our view of the world. ”
Commonwealth Short Story Prize
Regional Winner,
Africa
Jekwu Anyaegbuna, Nigeria, Morrison Okoli
(1955-2010)
Regional Winner,
Asia
Anushka Jasraj, India, Radio Story
Regional Winner, Canada and
Europe
Andrea Mullaney, UK, The Ghost
Marriage
Regional Winner,
Caribbean
Diana McCaulay, Jamaica, The Dolphin
Catcher
Regional Winner,
Pacific
Emma Martin, New Zealand, Two Girls in a
Boat
Chair of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize,
Bernardine Evaristo said, “The five regional winning stories this year rose to
the top of a pool of 2200 entries and are the result of vigorous debate among
the judges. We discussed not only the quality of the storytelling but the
context of their respective literary cultures including notions of stereotypes
and ‘the prize-winning formula’. Our final choices encompass range, depth,
beauty, unpredictability and re-readability. These short stories will take you
on a journey that spans cultures, eras, generations, and diverse ways of being
and seeing. To read them is to inhabit other worlds.”
Commonwealth Writers has partnered
with Granta magazine to give regional winners of the Commonwealth Short
Story Prize the opportunity to be published by Granta online during the
week commencing 4 June.
John Freeman, Editor of Granta said: “The
Commonwealth Short Story Prize introduces some of the best writers in the world,
writers who bring a thrilling and essential glimpse of the world and the worlds
that are within Britain. This is also what I hope Granta has been as a
magazine. A Trojan Horse for writers you don’t know, but once you read cannot
forget: writers who can make the ground beneath your feet a little more
mysterious. I am pleased Granta can partner with the Commonwealth Short
Story Prize to help carry this mission forward.”
Commonwealth Writers is a new
cultural programme within the Commonwealth Foundation which develops, connects
and inspires writers. By awarding prizes and running on-the-ground activities,
it works in partnership with international literary organisations, the wider
cultural industries and civil society to help writers develop their craft in the
fifty four countries of the Commonwealth.www.commonwealthwriters.org is
a forum where members from anywhere in the world can exchange ideas and
contribute to debates.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Commonwealth
Writers’ Prize in 2011, the Commonwealth Foundation re-launched its prizes to
form part of Commonwealth Writers. The prizes act as catalysts to
target and identify talented writers from different regions who will go on to
inspire and inform their local communities.
Lucy Hannah, Programme Manager (Culture)
Commonwealth Foundation, said “These two new prizes are a really positive start
toCommonwealth Writers. We had entries from a huge range of countries
including Lesotho, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Samoa. We’ll now be helping our
regional winners to gain a wider readership, develop their craft and to inspire
others in their region.”
Geoffrey Philp’s Blog Spot receives a percentage of the purchase price on anything you buy through links to Amazon, Shambala Books, Hay House, or any of the Google ads or Google Custom Search.
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