2007 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize shortlists announced
Date: February 11, 2007 | Discussion: 1 Comment
The Commonwealth foundation has announced the regional shortlists for the 2007 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. The annual fiction prize that rewards writing from the British Commonwealth is selected by first judging books from four different regional groups (Africa, Canada and the Caribbean, Europe and South Asia, South East Asia and South Pacific) with each including two separate categories (Best Book, Best First Book), each worth £1,000. Once the regional winners in these categories are chosen, they are pitted against one another for the final prizes (£10,000 for Best Book and £5,000 for Best First Book).
This year’s nominees include Man Booker Prize shortlisted authors MJ Hyland, David Mitchell, James Robertson and Naeem Murr. The full list follows:
Africa – Best Book
Native Commissioner by Shaun Johnson (South Africa)
What Kind of Child by Ken Barris (South Africa), Kwela Books
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria)
The Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi wa Thiong’o (Kenya)
Playing in the Light by Zoe Wicomb (South Africa)
Song of the Atman by Ronnie Govender (South Africa)
Africa – Best First Book
All We Have Left Unsaid by Maxime Case (South Africa)
Ice in the Lungs by Gerald Kraak (South Africa)
A Life Elsewhere by Segun Alofabi (Nigeria)
Room 207 by Kgebeti Moele (South Africa)
The Beggar’s Sign Writer by Louis Greenberg (South Africa)
The Shadow Follows by David Medalie (South Africa)
Canada and the Caribbean – Best Book
The Law of Dreams by Peter Behrens (Canada)
Chutney Power by Willi Chen (Trinidad)
Fabrizio’s Return by Mark Frutkin (Canada)
The Emperor’s Children by Claire Messud (Canada)
The Unfortunate Marriage of Azeb Yitades by Nega Mezlekia (Canada)
The View from Castle Rock by Alice Munro (Canada)
The Friends of Meager Fortune by David Adams Richards (Canada)
Canada and the Caribbean – Best First Book
Baby Khaki’s Wings by Anar Ali (Canada)
Vandal Love by D.Y. Bechard (Canada)
De Niro’s Game by Rawi Hage (Canada)
The Fear of Stones by Kei Miller (Jamaica)
Indigenous Beasts by Nathan Sellyn (Canada)
The Hour of Bad Decisions by Russell Wangersky (Canada)
Europe and South Asia – Best Book
Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra (India)
Miss Webster and Chérif by Patricia Duncker (UK)
The Sweet and Simple Kind by Yasmine Gooneratne (Sri Lanka)
Carry Me Down by M J Hyland (UK)
Black Swan Green by David Mitchell (UK)
The Perfect Man by Naeem Murr (UK)
The Testament of Gideon Mack by James Robertson (UK)
Europe and South Asia – Best First Book
The Saffron Kitchen by Yasmin Crowther (UK)
The Mathematics of Love by Emma Darwin (UK)
This Time of Dying by Reina James (UK)
Giraffe by J M Ledgard (UK)
Londonstani by Gautam Malkani (UK)
In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar (UK)
The Amnesia Clinic by James Scudamore (UK)
South East Asia and South Pacific – Best Book
Ocean Roads by James George (New Zealand)
Theft: A Love Story by Peter Carey (Australia)
Mr Pip by Lloyd Jones (New Zealand)
Carpentaria by Alexis Wright (Australia)
The Fainter by Damien Wilkins (New Zealand)
Red Spikes by Margo Lanagan (Australia)
Careless by Deborah Robertson (Australia)
South East Asia and South Pacific – Best First Book
Tuvalu by Andrew O’Connor (Australia)
Davey Darling by Paul Shannon (New Zealand)
The Fish & Chip Song by Carl Nixon (New Zealand)
The Long Road of the Junkmailer by Patrick Holland (Australia)
Poinciana by Jane Turner Goldsmith (Australia)
#8048 | Ahmed mohammed writes on August 10, 2007 at 10:53 pm
the contest between writers around the world every yearly i s a commendable gesture by commonwealth foundation and its body to recognise the efforts of writers around the world in eradicaticating illitracy and braindrain where ever they are residents.