Short Story Collection Wins Guardian First Book Award 2009
An Elegy for Easterly by Petina Gappah, published by Faber, has won the Guardian First Book Award 2009, in association with Waterstone’s.
The collection of short stories by the Zimbabwean writer was selected by a celebrity judging panel, as well as by readers from five Waterstone’s reading groups.
Guardian literary editor, Claire Armitstead, who chaired the judging panel, said: “I am thrilled that, for the second time, a short story collection has won – especially since 2009 has been the year of the short story, with an array of wonderful debuts from around the world. 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 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.”
Gappah wins £10,000 and an advertising package in the Guardian and The Observer, and follows in the footsteps of Zadie Smith and Jonathan Safran Foer, two of the previous winners of the Award.
- Listen to an interview with Petina Gappah here on Bookhugger
- Read an extract from An Elegy for Easterly
January 15th, 2010 at 9:01 am
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