The longlist for the much-awaited 2016 edition of the Etisalat Prize for Literature has been announced, and we are delighted to share it with you. Of the nine authors, 6 are South Africans, 3 are Nigerians.
The prize is awarded to the best debut African fiction. The winner takes home 15,000 pounds and a fellowship at the University of East Anglia to study creative writing.
This year’s judging panel, headed by Nigerian novelist Helon Habila, includes South African writer/activist Elinor Sisulu, and Ivorian writer Edwige Rene Dro.
The shortlist of three authors will be announced in December.
The most exciting part of this list is that one of the shortlisted writers Jen Thorpe is a Brittle Paper writer. We’ve published a few of her poems in the last couple of years. You can read them here. Congrats to Jen! We are definitely rooting for her.
Etisalat Prize for Literature Longlist 2016
Julie Iromuanya (Nigerian) — Mr. and Mrs. Doctor (Coffee House Press, USA),
Mohale Mashigo (South Africa) — The Yearning (PanMacmillan, South Africa),
Nakhane Toure (South Africa) — Piggy Boy’s Blues (Blackbird Books imprint of Jacana Media, SA),
Jen Thorpe (South Africa) — The Peculiars (Penguin Random House, USA),
Elnathan John (Nigeria) — on a Tuesday (Cassava Republic, Nigeria),
Jowhor Ile (Nigeria) — And After Many Days (Farafina an imprint of Kachifo Limited, Nigeria),
Andrew Miller (South Africa)— Dub Steps (Jacana Media, South Africa),
Jacqui L’Ange (South Africa) — The Seed Thief (Umuzi Publishers, South Africa)
Unathi Magubeni (South Africa) — Nwezelenga: The Star Child (Black Bird Books Imprint of Jacana Media, South Africa).
Otosirieze November 17, 2016 03:46
Anglophone African writing, that is. But the broader truth is that almost every country on the continent, Anglo- or Franco- or Lusophone, has at least one literary bigwig.