The Commonwealth Foundation has announced its regional shortlists (Africa; Caribbean and Canada; South Asia and Europe; and South East Asia and the Pacific) for the 2011 edition of The Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Regional winners will be announced 3 March; and overall winners announced on 21 May. Here are the African finalists:
Africa Best Book:
The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna (above, Sierra Leone)
Men of the South by Sukiswa Wanner (South Africa)
The Unseen Leopard by Bridget Pitt (South Africa)
Oil on Water by Helon Habila (Nigeria)
Blood at Bay by Sue Rabie (South Africa)
Banquet at Brabazan by Patricia Schonstein (South Africa)
Africa Best First Book:
Happiness is a Four Letter Word by Cynthia Jele (South Africa)
Bitter Leaf by Chioma Okereke (Nigeria)
The Fossil Artist by Graeme Friedman (South Africa)
Colour Blind by Uzoma Uponi (Nigeria)
Voice of America by E. C. Osondu (Nigeria)
Wall of Days by Alastair Bruce (South Africa)
More information on the process and the judges.
If last year’s Africa shortlists are anything to go by, these new books will make for more great Spring readings. Seven South Africans: not bad for a country lacking “rigorous editing” (http://mg.co.za/article/2011-02-11-you-are-what–read/).
Thanks for this. I would link it to my blog. And my Commonwealth reading challenge would increase by two books.