Commonwealth Writers Prize 2010 Winners
Siddon Rock by Australian author Glenda Guest (Vintage) is the winner of the ₤5000 (A$8,250) best first book award in this year’s Commonwealth Writers Prize.
Solo by Rana Dasgupta (Fourth Estate) was the winner of the overall Commonwealth Writers Prize for best book. The awards were announced in New Delhi.
Guest, whose debut novel has also been longlisted for the Miles Franklin award in Australia, said the award was ‘verification that this is any good, that I can actually write’.
As she is in her sixties there is hope for all we late starters
2010 Regional Winners
Africa
Adaobi Tricia Nwaubeni from Nigeria won Best First Book for I Do Not Come to You by Chance and Marie Heese from South Africa won Best Book for The Double Crown.
Caribbean and Canada
Shandi Mitchell from Canada won Best First Book for Under This Unbroken Sky and Michael Crummey from Canada won Best Book for Galore.
South Asia and Europe
Daniyal Mueenuddin from Pakistan won Best First Book for In Other Rooms, Other Wonders and Rana Dasgupta from the UK won Best Book for Solo
South East Asia and Pacific
Glenda Guest from Australia won Best First Book for Siddon Rock and Albert Wendt from Samoa won Best Book for The Adventures of Vela.