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Kiwi writer wins Commonwealth Prize

29.05.07

Lloyd Jones has picked up the 21st Commonwealth Writers' Prize for his novel, Mister Pip (Penguin), the first New Zealand writer to win best book since Janet Frame in 1989. Jones received the £10,000 prize at the Calabash International Literary Festival in Jamaica

The first book award of £5,000 was awarded to Vandal Love (Doubleday) by D Y Béchard of Canada.

Speaking on behalf of the Pan-Commonwealth judging panel, the Hon Justice Nicholas Hasluck commented: "The judging panel had the pleasure of reading a remarkable array of works of fiction in the final phase of the 2007 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. The entries in each of the two categories offer a fascinating range of uncommon settings and seductive new voices.

"The winner of the best book award is Lloyd Jones from New Zealand for Mister Pip. This mesmerising story shows how books can change lives in utterly surprising ways. When a round up of suspects on a war-torn Pacific island leads to an attempt to seize a fictional character violence comes face to face with the power of the imagination.

"The prize for best first book goes to Canadian writer D Y Béchard for Vandal Love. This book is an epic family tale, poetic and gritty, magical and yet believable, replete with misfits and boxers, giants and runts."

commonwealth writers' prize Prize

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