Ondaatje among Canadians vying for Commonwealth Writers' Prize
Last Updated: Thursday, February 14, 2008 | 10:56 AM ET
CBC News
Related
Internal Links
- FEATURE: Bewitching Ondaatje: Author works his magic again with new novel
- FEATURE: Book of Exodus: Lawrence Hill discusses his eye-opening epic, The Book of Negroes
- FEATURE: Novel Approach: Tish Cohen hits Hollywood big time with literary debut
- FEATURE: Changed Man: Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist explores post-9/11 tension
- CBC WORDS AT LARGE: David Chariandy on Soucouyant
External Links
(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window)
Michael Ondaatje, Frances Itani and Lawrence Hill are among the Canadians competing on the regional short lists for the 22nd Commonwealth Writers' Prize, organizers announced on Wednesday.
Ondaatje was singled out in the category for best book from Canada and the Caribbean region for his latest novel Divisadero, which picked up the Governor General's Literary Award for fiction last year.
Itani made the cut for her Remembering the Bones and Hill for The Book of Negroes, with Jamaica's Erna Brodber (The Rainmaker's Mistake) and Canadian authors Gil Adamson (The Outlander) and Robert Hough (The Culprits) rounding out the category's nominees.
Canadians also dominated the nominees in the region's best first book category:
- David Chariandy for Soucouyant.
- Tish Cohen for Town House.
- Arley McNeney for Post.
- Ameen Merchant for The Silent Raga.
- C.S. Richardson for The End of the Alphabet.
- Neil Smith for Bang Crunch.
Other notable selections on the various regional shortlists include:
- Mohsin Hamid, The Reluctant Fundamentalist (nominated for best book, Europe and South Asia region).
- Hari Kunzru, My Revolutions (nominated for best book, Europe and South Asia region).
- Indra Sinha, Animal's People (nominated for best book, Europe and South Asia region).
- Catherine O'Flynn, What Was Lost (nominated for best first book, Europe and South Asia region).
- Alex Miller, Landscape of Farewell (nominated for best book, Southeast Asia and South Pacific region).
The regional winners, each set to receive £1,000 ($1,960), will be announced March 13.
These winners will then serve as the finalists for the overall 2008 Commonwealth Writers' Prizes for best book and best first book, worth £10,000 and £5,000 ($19,600 and $9,800) respectively.
The regional winners will be invited to attend and participate in events at the Franschhoek Literary Festival in South Africa in May, with the overall winners to be announced during the festival.
Established in 1987, the prize honours outstanding literary writing throughout the Commonwealth nations.
Share Tools
- Romance onscreen for Valentine's Dayby Arts Online Feb. 14, 2012 3:51 PM The Notebook versus Out of Sight. High Fidelity versus The Family Man. On a day devoted to strong emotions, it seems appropriate to passionately debate about the best cinematic love stories. CBC film critic Eli Glasner faces off against arts producer Ilana Banks about the top movies with which to woo your sweetheart on Valentine's Day. And they ask: What's your favourite romantic movie?
Top News Headlines
- Botox injected by unlicensed practitioners
- Some Vancouver-area medical spas are ignoring Health Canada regulations that Botox be prescribed and injected by a physician, a CBC News investigation has revealed. more »
- Legalize pot, say former B.C. attorneys general
- Four former B.C. attorneys general are joining a coalition of health and justice experts calling for the legalization of marijuana. more »
- 6 ways Greece can bounce back
- Although Greece's economic future seems dire, a number of the country's sectors show promise, according to observers. more »
- Are you a good Canadian citizen? Compare yourself
- Waving the Canadian flag is an easy act of patriotism. But beyond that what are hallmarks of being Canadian? more »
Latest Arts & Entertainment News Headlines
- Whitney Houston's funeral to be held Saturday
- Pop star Whitney Houston's funeral service will be held Saturday in the New Jersey church where she first showcased her singing talents as a child. more »
- Prospective WSO maestros unveiled
- The Windsor Symphony Orchestra unveiled a shortlist of prospective music directors on Tuesday, and the public will have a hand in selecting the finalist. more »
- Booksellers blame U.S.-Canada price gap on old rules
- There's an easy way to help lower Canadian book prices, representatives from the industry told a Senate committee: eliminate a rule that allows U.S. publishers to charge more for books sent to Canada. more »
- Famed romance began with exchange of letters
- The 573 love letters exchanged between Elizabeth Barrett and her future husband, fellow poet Robert Browning, are now viewable online. more »
Q Blog
The great monogamy debate Feb. 14, 2012 3:42 PM Is it time to start taking alternatives to monogamy seriously in our culture? Listen in to the Q debate and let us know what you think.
CBC Books
- Choosing a Valentine's Day gift for the book lover in your life Feb. 14, 2012 4:51 PM CBC Books' Erin Balser and her partner, Matt Elliott, on the challenge of giving your sweetheart a book for Valentine's Day.
- Legalize pot, say former B.C. attorneys general
- Botox injected by unlicensed practitioners
- Toronto NBA fans experience 'Lin-sanity'
- Trudeau says sovereignty less of a bogeyman now
- Homicide follows Vancouver family argument
- Tires slashed on more than 100 cars in Surrey
- Whitney Houston's funeral to be held Saturday
- Online surveillance bill targets child porn: Toews
- Adults told B.C. teen had taken ecstasy
