Sunday, March 15, 2009

Uwem Akpan Clinches the Commonwealth Prize...

Uwem Akpan, jesuit Nigerian writer wins Commonwealth Prize for Literature (African region) for the Best First Book with his collection Say You're One of Them. Though his first work, it is a collage of intriguing short stories that have random settings from different parts of Africa. It pictures Africa in a stark reality...as it is even through the voices of children.

In the African region, his work was up against Jassey Mackenzie's Random Violence, Megan Voysey-Braig's Till We Can Keep An Animal, Chris Mamewick's Shepherds and Butchers, Janet Bennet's Porcupine and Sue Rabie's Boston Snowplough.

Read more here.

Say You're One of Them was also been nominated for the Best First Book by Los Angeles Times Book Awards. Look here for more information.


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2 comments:

  1. Lost at The EndMarch 18, 2009 at 6:27 PM

    I read a piece of his published in The New Yorker, and it was pretty damn cool.

    Anyway, thanks for stopping by and leaving a note. Cheers.

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  2. LauriMarch 19, 2009 at 7:46 PM

    There is a story in that book that can't leave my head- Fattening for Gabon. The ending is so haunting it just continues to resonate. I'm so happy he won the Commonwealth Prize. Well deserved.

    Lauri

    http://thoughtsfrombotswana.blogspot.com

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