Commonwealth Writers’ Prize -

New Zealand author wins regional prize for Best Book and goes on to final in New Delhi

 After months of anticipation, the winners for best book and first best book from the South East Asia and Pacific region have been announced and will now go through to the final stage of the 2010 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize in April. 

Internationally recognized for propelling authors into the literary spotlight, the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize offers an exceptional opportunity for new writers to demonstrate their talent and for authors already on the literary scene to enhance their reputation. 

Next month New Zealand-based Samoan writer Albert Wendt, with his book The Adventures of Vela and Glenda Guest from Australia for her book Siddon Rock will go head-to head with regional winners from Africa, Caribbean and Canada and South Asia and Europe to compete for global prizes for best book and best first book.

In its 24th year, the critically acclaimed Commonwealth Writers’ Prize has a strong track record of discovering new international stars. The winners of Best First Book and Best Book from South East Asia and Pacific will join some of the biggest names in fiction to have been recognised by the Prize, including Peter Carey and Lloyd Jones.

Presented by the Commonwealth Foundation with support from the Macquarie Group Foundation, the Prize’s final programme, starting on 7 April in Delhi, India will bring together the finalists from the different regions of the Commonwealth, and the two overall winners will be announced there on 12 April.

Commenting today, The Director of the Commonwealth Foundation, Mark Collins, said:

“The level of entries this year has been absolutely outstanding and the competition is fierce. I would like to congratulate Albert Wendt and Glenda Guest in getting through to the final stage and I look forward to welcoming them to India. Once again, the Prize is identifying the Best of Commonwealth fiction written in English and in doing so, spotting rising talent and creating new literary heroes from the Commonwealth. Taken as a whole, the eight winning books – from Australia, Canada, Nigeria, Pakistan, Samoa, South Africa and the UK – are reaching out to readers across all cultures. These compelling works that have reached the final stage offer strong insight, spirit and voice about the incredible diversity, history and life of the Commonwealth.”

David Clarke, Chairman of the Macquarie Group Foundation, the main sponsor of the Prize, added:

"The Commonwealth Writer's Prize is unique in giving a voice to authors who throw light on evolving social realities. The Macquarie Group Foundation is delighted to be part of recognising this new literary talent from around the world, and to help support young writers."

Regional Chair Dr Anne Brewster said: 

”Glenda Guest’s Siddon Rock takes us into the heart of rural Australia. The fable-like quality of this story captures the laconic mannerisms of Australian rural life and gestures to the styles of the tall tale and bush yarn. In Siddon Rock we revisit the myth of the white child lost in the bush with chilling freshness. The novel achieves great narrative momentum and emotional power which concludes in modest but assured optimism. 

”Albert Wendt’s epic verse novel The Adventures of Vela is an exhilarating read. It follows the tumultuous journeys of the ancient human, Vela, as he chronicles the life of Nafanua, the Samoan goddess of war exiled since the colonial invasion of the Samoan islands. Wendt draws upon the immense resources and creative heritage of Samoan cultural memory and spirituality which he combines with a stinging critique of the various institutions of colonisation. Rage, despair, ribald humour and passionate, creative reflection and regeneration proliferate through these pages. Wendt reshapes the verse novel into a hybrid form, intercalated with traditional Samoan practices of orature, song and storytelling, and with contemporary styles of rock music and hip hop. What kind of relationship can contemporary humans have with this formidable creature? This is one of the many questions that this novel addresses in the course of this deeply-engaging story.”

Footnote:

Information on all eight regional Best Book and Best First Book winners will be posted on Beattie's Book blog later today.