| Marechera
Remembered |
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| A three-day symposium on the writings
of Dambudzo Marechera will take place at the University
of Oxford from May 15 to May 17, 2009. The inter-disciplinary
symposium will look at the legacy of Dambudzo Marechera
and the general state of Zimbabwean writing today.
Marechera is widely regarded as one of the most innovative
African writers of the 20th century. The symposium will
feature a scholarly conference, original theatre plays,
film, music, poetry performances by Zimbabwean poets,
a photo exhibition and a tribute concert by Chimanimani.
International scholars, writers and artists expected
at the event include Ben Okri, Helon Habila, Brian Chikwava,
Flora Veit-Wild, James Currey, Robert Fraser, and David
Pattison.
Participants will give both creative and academic interpretations
of Marechera’s writing. They will also analyze
African literature in the 21st century with emphasis
on transnational cultural interaction, creative freedom
across national borders, all of which Marechera embodied.
is one of the sponsors of this event.
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| 2009 PEN/Studzinski Literary
Award Finalists announced |
| The organisers of the 2009 PEN/Studzinski
Literary Award recently released a list of 33 finalists:
Ken Barris – The life
of Worm. Nadia Davids –
The visit. Ceridwen Dovey
– Survival mechanisms. Joan
du Toit – An informed decision.
Graham Ellis – No match for Fanie
Smith. Rosemund J Handler
– Strident night.
Jeanne Hromnik – Love In troubled
times. Karen Jayes –
Where he will leave his shoes.
Suzanne Jordaan –
Beulah. Bobby Jordan –
Metalhead and Situation Orange.
Chisanga Kabinga – Display cabinet.
Ken N Kamoche – A
kiss in Nanjing. Yvette Kruger
– What I wore. Lauri Kubuitsile
– Pulani’s eyes. Beatrice
Lamwaka – The star in my camp.
Jennifer Lean – To
each his own. Irene McCartney
– Pauline’s ghost. Jenna
Mervis – The lives of dogs.
Kirsten Miller – Only in
art.
NoViolet Mkha Bulawayo – Snapshots.
Wame Molefhe – Rainbow-coloured
dreams.
Natasha Moodley – Spirit
of Madala. Isabella Morris
– Bluette. Kyne Nislev Bernstorff
– The last supper. Naomi Nkealah
– In the name of peace. Maik
Nwosu – In Leopardville.
Tolu Ogunlesi – River Falling.
Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi –
Area boy rescue. Andrew Salomon
– A visit to Dr Mamba. Alex
Smith – Soulmates. Dineke
Volschenk – Glorious wounds.
Phillippa Yaa de Villiers – Keeping
everything the same. Hayet Z
– Flypapered days.
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The award
received 827 entries, of which, 202 were disqualified.
Just under 200 stories were longlisted, and 34 stories
were chosen as finalists by the PEN Editorial Board
comprising Shaun Johnson (Chair), Anthony Fleischer,
Justin Fox, Harry Garuba, Alistair King and Mary
Watson. Nobel Laureate JM Coetzee is currently judging
the shortlisted stories and will choose the winners
of the first (£5 000), second (£3 000)
and third (£2 000) prizes. The winners will
be announced in May 2009.The finalists’ stories
will be included in an anthology of new writing
from Africa to be published later this year.  |
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| Adichie
Wins the Nonino |
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| The
2009 International Nonino Prize has been awarded
to African writer, Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie. She
won the prize for her novel, Half of a Yellow
Sun.
The Nonino Prize was established in 1984 in Italy
as a literary prize for foreign writers. Renowned
African writer, Chinua Achebe won the same prize
in 1994.
This year’s prize was judged by a team
presided over by the Nobel laureate VS Naipaul.
In his citation, he praised Adichie for writing
“pages full of domestic mercy and love for
her land, portraying living affections in the
scenery of the difficult post-colonial years.”
Other members of the team were John Banville,
Peter Brook and Claudio Magris.
Nonino Prize comes in four categories: the Nonino
Risit d'Aur Prize, won by Malgari di Carnia, the
Nonino Prize, won by Silvia Perez-Vitoria, the
Master of Our Time Nonino prize won by Hugh Thomas,
and the International Nonino Prize, won by Ngozi-Adichie.
The prize was awarded on Saturday, January 31,
2009 at the Distillerie Nonino in Udinese, Italy.
It comes with a cash value of 8,000 Italian liali.
Ms. Adichie had won the Orange Prize in 2007 for
the same novel. Last year, The Macarthur Foundation
named Chimamanda Adichie a 2008 fellow.  |
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Achebe
delivers |
| Ahajioku
Lecture |
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Renowned author, Chinua Achebe,
recently delivered the Ahiajioku Lecture in Owerri, Imo
State, Nigeria. It was part of the events marking the
first Festival of Igbo Civilization.
The festival was established as an umbrella event to mark
the 50th anniversary of the publication of Things Fall
Apart. In his lecture, Chinua Achebe urged Igbo people
not to allow “the civil war to depress indefinitely
their spirit and should galvanize their myriad talents
to develop Ani Igbo and Nigeria. They have achieved this
lofty goal in the past and they can do it again.”
He continued, “The enterprising spirit of Ndi Igbo
has led to great success in merchant professions and the
acquisition of wealth, often very great riches, among
a certain segment of our people.”
He then warned that, “There is an ugly under belly
of this great success. An endemic obsession for materialistic
accumulation has taken a hold of Igboland and has the
dire possibility of eroding, permanently, the moral and
intellectual capability of an entire society. Civilizations
that have been obsessed with money and materialistic accumulation
alone have all failed. We need to emphasize the importance
of ideas and education, not simply for job attainment,
but for the overall improvement and advancement of our
civilization.”
It was Chinua Achebe’s second visit to Nigeria since
1990 when he was involved in a car accident that left
him paralyzed. The first visit was in 1999 when he delivered
the inaugural Odenigbo Lecture. |
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| 2009 Book Fairs: |
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Havana: 14 -21
February
Tunis: 24th Apr - 3rd May
Lagos: 11th - 16th May
Cape Town: 13th - 15th June
Harlem Book Fair: 18th July
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