Shehan named regional winner of the Commonwealth Book Prize 2012

Saturday, 26 May 2012 01:36 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Shehan Karunatilaka was named Regional Winner for Asia for his book ‘Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew,’ published by Random House for the 2012 Commonwealth Book Prize. The Sri Lankan writer joins other regional winners representing Africa, Asia, Canada and Europe, Caribbean, and the Pacific regions in Wales when they compete for the Commonwealth Writers Overall Winner which will be announced at the Hay Festival on 8 June.

Other Regional Winners who compete for this prestigious overall prize include Regional Winner, Africa Jacques Strauss (South Africa), The Dubious Salvation of Jack V, Jonathan Cape Regional Winner- Canada and Europe Riel Nason (Canada), The Town that Drowned, Goose Lane Editions Regional Winner- Caribbean Alecia McKenzie (Jamaica), Sweetheart, Peepal Tree Press Regional Winner Pacific Cory Taylor, (Australia), Me and Mr Booker, The Text Publishing Company.

Commenting on the winners, Chair of the Commonwealth Book Prize Margaret Busby said, “We were wonderfully spoilt for choice among some strong regional contenders on the shortlist, and although we could not take every favourite further, the books that triumphed are a reminder of what the best fiction can be: moving, entertaining, enlightening, exciting, engaging our thoughts and emotions, while creating an intimate connection with someone else’s imagination. Here are 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.”

Commonwealth Writers is a new cultural program within the Commonwealth Foundation, which develops, connects and inspires writers. By awarding prizes and running on-the-ground activities, it works in partnership with international literary organisations, the wider cultural industries and civil society to help writers develop their craft in the fifty-four countries of the Commonwealth. www.commonwealthwriters.org is a forum where members from anywhere in the world can exchange ideas and contribute to debates.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize in 2011, the Commonwealth Foundation re-launched its prizes to form part of Commonwealth Writers. The prizes act as catalysts to target and identify talented writers from different regions who will go on to inspire and inform their local communities.

Shehan is currently in upstate New York at a Writer’s Retreat working on his new book. After the Commonwealth Prize, the Gratiaen Prize Winner will do a tour of the US, namely New York, Boston, Seattle and San Francisco where his book is published as ‘The Legend of Pradeep Mathew.’