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Guardian First Book Award for Zimbabwe author
Award ... Zimbabwean author Petina Gappah
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| 03/12/2009 00:00:00 |
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by Katie Allen |
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A "HUMANE and disarmingly funny" collection of short stories by Zimbabwean author Petina Gappah right has won the Guardian First Book Award 2009 in association with Waterstone’s.
An Elegy for Easterly (Faber) wins Gappah £10,000 and an advertising package for her book in the Guardian and the Observer.The ceremony took place last night (2nd December).
Guardian literary editor and chair of judges Claire Armitstead said: "2009 has been the year of the short story . . . Petina Gappah’s humane and disarmingly funny mosaic of life in Zimbabwe is undoubtedly one of the very best."
Stuart Broom from Waterstone's, who represented the views of the five Waterstone's reading groups during the final judging process, said: "There is a quietness, humour and charm to this book that resonated with the Waterstone's reading groups.
"Many readers commented on the delicate simplicity of the stories, which belies the fact that a number of the short stories explore very harsh political realities. It's going to be fascinating to see what Gappah does next as a writer."
The shortlist also comprised: A Swamp Full of Dollars by Michael Peel (I B Tauris); The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton (Granta);The Wilderness by Samantha Harvey (Jonathan Cape); and The Selected Works of T S Spivet by Reif Larsen (Harvill Secker) - bookseller.com
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