The overall winner of the Commonwealth Prize for writers will not be announced till the 9th of June 2012, but five winners of Regional Prizes have been announced. If you are looking for some great reads, then read on…….…
Here are five great books from five very distinctive voices “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.” (Quote from the 2012 jury)
WINNER OF 2012 COMMONWEALTH WRITERS PRIZE AFRICA REGION
The Dubious Salvation of Jack V. by Jacques Strauss (South Africa)
This novel is set in contemporary Johannesburg and narrated by eleven-year-old Jack who “learns that the smallest act of revenge has consequences beyond his imaginings”. It is “subversively smart and unapologetically funny, clever and a little dangerous”
WINNER OF 2012 COMMONWEALTH WRITERS PRIZE ASIA REGION
This novel has already received great praise from authors such as Michael Ondaatje who said: “A crazy ambidextrous delight. A drunk and totally unreliable narrator runs alongside the reader insisting him or her into the great fictional possibilities of cricket” and along the way they “discover mysterious six-fingered coach, a Tamil Tiger warlord, and startling truths about their beloved sport and country” and that is just the beginning …
WINNER OF 2012 COMMONWEALTH WRITERS PRIZE PACIFIC REGION
Me and Mr Booker by Cory Taylor (Australia)
This is a contemporary tale from small town Australia, where not much is happening, a story which “reminds us that while teenagers grow up fast, it’s only because they’re surrounded by adults who behave like children.” Benjamin Law author of, The Family Law
WINNER OF 2012 COMMONWEALTH WRITERS PRIZE CANADA AND EUROPE REGION
The Town that Drowned by Riel Nason (Canada)
Atlantic Canada is famous for literary talent and it looks like we are about to discover another talent. Interestingly, here is another story told by a young narrator – a 14-year-old girl. This novel evokes the awkwardness of childhood, the thrill of first love, and the importance of having a place to call home.
WINNER OF 2012 COMMONWEALTH WRITERS PRIZE CARIBBEAN REGION
Sweetheart by Alecia McKenzie (Jamaica)
A novel that promises to bewitch you with its combination of the world of Jamaican art and the mysteryof Dulcinea Evers and how and why she died …
Go ahead, discover new writers and visit distant lands!