More like fine aged wine, Delhi’s rich past and present, flora and fauna, and its delectable flavours find place in the pages of this set of books
You could call it jumping on the Commonwealth Games bandwagon or smart packaging. But you could also call it presenting a mostly first-rate selection of fiction and non-fiction books that have the Capital city as their focus.
The big daddy of English publishing in India, Penguin Books, has unveiled the Delhi Bookshelf, a set of 21 titles, 20 of which have been published previously. Three-four books each have been slotted in different categories—anthologies, biographies, histories, stories and food. Two titles each come under journeys and “others”. And one of the two in this last hold-all category is the gem Trees of Delhi, by the film-maker-turned-self-taught naturalist Pradeep Kishen. A delightful compendium of the trees that can be found in Delhi—non-native species planted along its boulevards and in its many gardens, as well as those found in the wild in the Ridge area—it has bite-size nuggets of historical and general anecdotes, photos and diagrams, all presented with a simple and straightforward elegance.
“The last Englishman will be an Indian”—maybe so, but many Dilliwalas are coming around to the view that the last of their ilk will turn out to be a Scotsman. We are talking, of course, about William Dalrymple, author of another classic in this list, City of Djinns. His more recent offering, a biography of Bahadur Shah Zafar, titled The Last Mughal, makes the cut too, as does his essay in the excellent anthology, Celebrating Delhi, edited by Mala Dayal and released just a couple of months ago. The other personage in this collection is the redoubtable and irrepressible Khushwant Singh, as a novelist (Delhi) and as an editor of an anthology (City Improbable: Writings on Delhi). Singh has also contributed a memorable piece on his father Sir Sobha Singh, who built and owned large chunks of New Delhi, to Celebrating Delhi.
Full report here Mint
Showing posts with label Commonwealth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Commonwealth. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Bhanot should be spanked: Rushdie
Acclaimed writer Salman Rushdie has ridiculed the Commonwealth Games as a "great humiliation" for India and suggested that OC Secretary General Lalit Bhanot be "severely spanked" for his much-criticised comments on hygiene standards. "It's been a great humiliation for us all. I feel very embarrassed by it and I'm sure many, many people in India feel the same way," the author of the award-winning Midnight's Children said.
The October 3 to 14 Games have had a crisis-hit build-up with reports of shoddy construction work, allegations of corruption and concerns about cleanliness at the Games Village making international headlines.
Reacting to the furore surrounding Bhanot's comments that the standard of hygiene was different for different countries, Rushdie said, "That official who claimed that we in India have lower standards of hygiene, he should be spanked very severely."
Full report here Hindustan Times
Reacting to the furore surrounding Bhanot's comments that the standard of hygiene was different for different countries, Rushdie said, "That official who claimed that we in India have lower standards of hygiene, he should be spanked very severely."
Full report here Hindustan Times
Thursday, September 30, 2010
For common knowledge
Writer and filmmaker Sunil Yash Kalra on his book on the Commonwealth Games.
The Commonwealth Games is more than just hopping around in the playground, says writer and filmmaker Sunil Yash Kalra. “It is an indicator of the nation’s dedication and integrity towards events of global concern. It’s a chance to prove oneself and be taken seriously, and India, unfortunately, blew it,” says Kalra, who owns a sporting venture called Indian Sports Knowledge Centre in Delhi and is also into research and product development related to sports. For the last ten years, he has been engaged in chasing and researching the Commonwealth Games. The result is the book: Road to Commonwealth Games 2010, a storehouse of information, documentaries and features on sports.
Kalra’s book has interesting bits of information: that Delhi’s bid report for the CWG did not mention the need for any overarching governing body to look into doping issues. Hamilton, Canada, on the other hand, had mooted the idea of setting up the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports. Also, while the CWG Organising Committee claims that Delhi Games would be Green Games, there is no such mention in the bid report. Interestingly, the handicrafts industry is expected to procure orders worth Rs 10 million during the Games.
Cut and paste bequest
It is common to have books coming out on an event just after it has taken place. Authors have fallen over one another to have theirs out on the global financial crisis, the Ambani brothers’ feud, the Indian Premier League, the Satyam financial scandal, and so on.
Rare is the book that comes out before an event. And rarer is the one that comes out at a time when fresh news — a beehive of controversy at that — is tumbling out every day about the subject of the book. That is why we have sensational portions of a book selectively leaked around its launch. The idea is to keep it in currency. In that sense, the authors of this book have been singularly lucky. Or maybe not.
There is much that is good in this book, in addition to the timing. It is full of research. It has several useful tables flaunting interesting numbers. The opening sections can stagger you with their account of the costs, which have ballooned from the original estimate of about $1.3 billion to $15 billion — a 10-fold jump. That will make this Commonwealth Games seven times more expensive than Melbourne in 2006 and clearly the most expensive Games in history. The authors have kept the scale of the book wide. And, of course, it is as topical as can be. That last bit is also a problem.
Full report here Business Standard
Rare is the book that comes out before an event. And rarer is the one that comes out at a time when fresh news — a beehive of controversy at that — is tumbling out every day about the subject of the book. That is why we have sensational portions of a book selectively leaked around its launch. The idea is to keep it in currency. In that sense, the authors of this book have been singularly lucky. Or maybe not.
There is much that is good in this book, in addition to the timing. It is full of research. It has several useful tables flaunting interesting numbers. The opening sections can stagger you with their account of the costs, which have ballooned from the original estimate of about $1.3 billion to $15 billion — a 10-fold jump. That will make this Commonwealth Games seven times more expensive than Melbourne in 2006 and clearly the most expensive Games in history. The authors have kept the scale of the book wide. And, of course, it is as topical as can be. That last bit is also a problem.
Full report here Business Standard
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
A musical rap for CWG
Journo's song about Games' ills a big hit online
As if the media was not making enough noise about the inefficiencies of the Organising Committee for the Commonwealth Games, a journalist has come up with a peppy rap number detailing the ills marring the mega sporting event.
'Dhikkar Hai' is composed and co-written by Adarsh Rathor who works with a news channel. This is Rathor's first experiment with a Hindi song, as he has been writing poetry in local Himachali dialect.
His friend helped him to write the song for Commonwealth Games, eliciting the corruption around the sporting event as well as the shame it has brought to India. The song also mentions Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi.
The song has been uploaded on file sharing website hotshare.com and so far close to 1,000 people has downloaded it. The song is getting very popular on Facebook and Aadarsh is getting appreciative remarks and kudos for his work.
Full report here Mid-day
'Dhikkar Hai' is composed and co-written by Adarsh Rathor who works with a news channel. This is Rathor's first experiment with a Hindi song, as he has been writing poetry in local Himachali dialect.
His friend helped him to write the song for Commonwealth Games, eliciting the corruption around the sporting event as well as the shame it has brought to India. The song also mentions Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi.
The song has been uploaded on file sharing website hotshare.com and so far close to 1,000 people has downloaded it. The song is getting very popular on Facebook and Aadarsh is getting appreciative remarks and kudos for his work.
Full report here Mid-day
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
CWG topical subject for books
Commonwealth Games in Delhi have inspired not just reams of reportage but also a bevy of books that detail everything from the history of the Games to how they are turning out to be a disaster. The latest among the growing corpus of books on the Games is Sellotape Legacy, Delhi & Commonwealth Games, a book that raises several disturbing questions about the Games. The main point of the book: The Delhi Games are basically about the politics of development, and the pretensions of a rising India that wants to use sports to show off its economic power at a cost of about Rs 66,000 crore.
Ask Nalin Mehta, the co-author, and he tells you, “Sometime around the Beijing Olympics, I was in an auto one day and talking about the Games when the auto driver got angry, shouting how it was a sham and how the money was being spent for just 12 days. His passion jolted us into thinking about the real meaning of these Games,” says Mehta, an honorary fellow, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore.
The book’s title, Sellotape Legacy, is prophetic in that it captures the mess the Delhi Games are in. Mehta foresaw it. “It was on the cards, based on what we saw. Part of the problem was the lack of expertise within the OC for organising such an event.”
Full report here Hindustan Times
Ask Nalin Mehta, the co-author, and he tells you, “Sometime around the Beijing Olympics, I was in an auto one day and talking about the Games when the auto driver got angry, shouting how it was a sham and how the money was being spent for just 12 days. His passion jolted us into thinking about the real meaning of these Games,” says Mehta, an honorary fellow, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore.
The book’s title, Sellotape Legacy, is prophetic in that it captures the mess the Delhi Games are in. Mehta foresaw it. “It was on the cards, based on what we saw. Part of the problem was the lack of expertise within the OC for organising such an event.”
Full report here Hindustan Times
Monday, September 27, 2010
Delhi’s disaster indicts the Indian state
Spectacle counts in the emerging East. China confirmed its coming dominance with the spectacular Beijing Olympics. On the evidence of the Commonwealth Games village, India has the squalid air of an impoverished country ineptly governed. William Dalrymple, author on all things Indian, wrote a measured commentary for the Times (£) yesterday:
"The Commonwealth Games was meant to be India’s coming-out party, a demonstration to the world that the old days of colonial domination and subsequent relegation to Third World status were finally over. Sadly, the Games have shown that the Old India is very much with us. This is a country, after all, where — alongside all the triumphs of technology and 8.5 per cent growth — eight Indian states still account for more poor people than the twenty-six poorest African countries combined.
The triumphs of the Indian economic miracle have been private sector successes, usually in the service sector. For this reason, for example, government-owned hotels are still spectacularly grotty; but the privately run Taj and Oberoi groups, in contrast, run some of the world’s most sleekly wonderful hotels, successes that have been achieved despite rather than because of the State."
Full report here Spectator
"The Commonwealth Games was meant to be India’s coming-out party, a demonstration to the world that the old days of colonial domination and subsequent relegation to Third World status were finally over. Sadly, the Games have shown that the Old India is very much with us. This is a country, after all, where — alongside all the triumphs of technology and 8.5 per cent growth — eight Indian states still account for more poor people than the twenty-six poorest African countries combined.
The triumphs of the Indian economic miracle have been private sector successes, usually in the service sector. For this reason, for example, government-owned hotels are still spectacularly grotty; but the privately run Taj and Oberoi groups, in contrast, run some of the world’s most sleekly wonderful hotels, successes that have been achieved despite rather than because of the State."
Full report here Spectator
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Games they wrote
A deluge of books has hit the stands in anticipation of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. V. Kumara Swamy leafs through them
Given the shambolic state of preparations for the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2010, and the tales of corruption that have been cropping up every day, this particular edition of the Games will probably be the most written about ever. But there’s a raft of books out already in anticipation of the Games. And despite the negative news flow, or perhaps because of it, they look likely to generate a lot of reader interest.
“When I began writing the book it was all about the history, preparation, legacy of the Games and such things. But as things started unfolding I had to touch upon topics that I had not planned to include,” says Sunil Yash Kalra, the author of Road to Commonwealth Games 2010 (Penguin) which was released early this week.
The cover typeface of Sellotape Legacy: Delhi & the Commonwealth Games (HarperCollins India) gives the impression that it’s a newsy book about the secrets behind all that has gone wrong with the Games so far. But, for its authors Boria Majumdar and Nalin Mehta, it’s a bit of that and more.
Full report here Telegraph
“When I began writing the book it was all about the history, preparation, legacy of the Games and such things. But as things started unfolding I had to touch upon topics that I had not planned to include,” says Sunil Yash Kalra, the author of Road to Commonwealth Games 2010 (Penguin) which was released early this week.
The cover typeface of Sellotape Legacy: Delhi & the Commonwealth Games (HarperCollins India) gives the impression that it’s a newsy book about the secrets behind all that has gone wrong with the Games so far. But, for its authors Boria Majumdar and Nalin Mehta, it’s a bit of that and more.
Full report here Telegraph
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
A new book launched on CWG legacy
With hardly 12 days left for the Commonwealth Games, the journey to the Games has become more exciting as Penguin Books India is ready to provide a treat to all the sports lovers across the country with a book that talks about every possible aspect of the mega-event.
The book 'Road to Commonwealth Games 2010' covers all areas from predictions to investments to security of the Games.
Author Sunil Yash Kalra, whose path breaking docu-drama on India's women cricketers 'Poor Cousins to the Million Dollar Babies' received critical acclaim, said the book on the Games is an answer to everything a person wanted to know about this multi-disciplinary sports extravaganza, to be held in India for the first time.
"The idea behind the book was to talk about the legacy of the Games, the impact that the Games will have on the country long after it is over," said Kalra at the book launch.
Full report here Times of India
Author Sunil Yash Kalra, whose path breaking docu-drama on India's women cricketers 'Poor Cousins to the Million Dollar Babies' received critical acclaim, said the book on the Games is an answer to everything a person wanted to know about this multi-disciplinary sports extravaganza, to be held in India for the first time.
"The idea behind the book was to talk about the legacy of the Games, the impact that the Games will have on the country long after it is over," said Kalra at the book launch.
Full report here Times of India
Monday, September 20, 2010
India to win around 100 medals in CWG: Book
India's final medals tally in the Delhi Commonwealth Games would be around 100, according to a new book published by Penguin India.
The book, Road to Commonwealth Games 2010, forecasts 96-127 medals for the hosts in the October 3-14 quadrennial extravaganza with shooters expected to win some 30-35 medals.
Author Sunil Yash Kalra, who had earlier created a path-breaking docu-drama on India's women cricketers, believes medals, besides being the best indicators of the overall health of the sports establishment of a country, reflects the economic health too.
The book has been based on author's predictions on analyses, investments made in sports, athletes' past track records and recent performances vis-a-vis the performance of top five CWG athletes in same discipline.
Full report here Times of India
Author Sunil Yash Kalra, who had earlier created a path-breaking docu-drama on India's women cricketers, believes medals, besides being the best indicators of the overall health of the sports establishment of a country, reflects the economic health too.
The book has been based on author's predictions on analyses, investments made in sports, athletes' past track records and recent performances vis-a-vis the performance of top five CWG athletes in same discipline.
Full report here Times of India
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Commonwealth short story winners announced
Indian writer, Shachi Kaul, has emerged winner of the 2010 Commonwealth Short Story Competition, with her entry, ‘Retirement’; while Nigerian entries, ‘Somewhere’ and ‘Dinner for Three’ by Jude Dibia and Shola Olowu-Asante respectively, were among 25 other winners in various categories.
Funded and managed by the Commonwealth Foundation, in association with the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association, the competition is an annual scheme aimed at promoting new creative writing and increasing understanding and appreciation of Commonwealth cultures.
Set in contemporary India, ‘Retirement’ is an examination of traditional roles coming to an end, and the contrast of outcomes achieves the above. Kaul, who hopes to write stories rooted locally but possessing an international appeal, expressed her delight at winning the award.
“It means many things to win this competition. It is an acknowledgement of my writing, a boost to my future aspirations, and a kind of check to show that I’m headed in the right direction,” she said.
Full report here Next
Funded and managed by the Commonwealth Foundation, in association with the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association, the competition is an annual scheme aimed at promoting new creative writing and increasing understanding and appreciation of Commonwealth cultures.
Set in contemporary India, ‘Retirement’ is an examination of traditional roles coming to an end, and the contrast of outcomes achieves the above. Kaul, who hopes to write stories rooted locally but possessing an international appeal, expressed her delight at winning the award.
“It means many things to win this competition. It is an acknowledgement of my writing, a boost to my future aspirations, and a kind of check to show that I’m headed in the right direction,” she said.
Full report here Next
Monday, August 30, 2010
Indian paperback king slams Delhi Games 'bribery'
THE Delhi Commonwealth Games have been branded the biggest and most blatant exercise in corruption since the country won independence six decades ago by best-selling Indian author and youth icon Chetan Bhagat.
The writer and commentator, who has sold more than 4 million books, called on Indians to boycott the event as a protest against bribery and sleaze.
Mr Bhagat's stinging attack came soon after Delhi's Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, revealed it would take until the middle of September to finish off Commonwealth Games-related work - by when athletes will start arriving for the event.
She blamed incessant monsoon rains for the latest delay, joking that the rain god must be ''unhappy'' with Delhi. ''If the rain stops and the sun comes out, we should be able to complete the work by September 10-15,'' she was quoted as saying.
Similar deadlines set for March 31, June 30 and July 31 have been missed.
Full report here The Age
Mr Bhagat's stinging attack came soon after Delhi's Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, revealed it would take until the middle of September to finish off Commonwealth Games-related work - by when athletes will start arriving for the event.
She blamed incessant monsoon rains for the latest delay, joking that the rain god must be ''unhappy'' with Delhi. ''If the rain stops and the sun comes out, we should be able to complete the work by September 10-15,'' she was quoted as saying.
Similar deadlines set for March 31, June 30 and July 31 have been missed.
Full report here The Age
Indian author blasts 'corrupt' Games
A bestselling Indian author has branded the Delhi Commonwealth Games the biggest and most blatant exercise in corruption since the country won independence six decades ago.
Chetan Bhagat, who has sold more than 4 million books and has a substantial youth following, called for the public to boycott the event as a protest against bribery and sleaze.
His stinging attack came soon after Delhi's Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, revealed it would take until the middle of next month to complete Games-related work - which is when athletes will start arriving.
She blamed incessant monsoon rains for the latest delay, joking that the rain god must be unhappy with Delhi.
''I will appeal to him to bring some sunshine,'' she was quoted as saying. ''If the rain stops and the sun comes out we should be able to complete the work by September 10-15.''
Full report here Sydney Morning Herald
His stinging attack came soon after Delhi's Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, revealed it would take until the middle of next month to complete Games-related work - which is when athletes will start arriving.
She blamed incessant monsoon rains for the latest delay, joking that the rain god must be unhappy with Delhi.
''I will appeal to him to bring some sunshine,'' she was quoted as saying. ''If the rain stops and the sun comes out we should be able to complete the work by September 10-15.''
Full report here Sydney Morning Herald
Sunday, May 2, 2010
'Gita Govinda' to be part of CWG ceremony
Terming 'Gita Govinda' as one of the "biggest epic stories ever written in the country", Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said poet Jayadev's creation would be part of the ceremonies of the coming Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
"Gita Govinda, created by legendary poet Jayadev of Orissa on relationship of Lord Krishna with Radha and other gopis, in the 12th century, would be given due place at the international sports event, she said while attending a function here last evening.
Lauding Orissa's contribution in the field of literature, sculpture and arts, Dikshit placed poet Jayadev at par with Sanskrit scholars like Kalidas.
Full report here Zeenews
"Gita Govinda, created by legendary poet Jayadev of Orissa on relationship of Lord Krishna with Radha and other gopis, in the 12th century, would be given due place at the international sports event, she said while attending a function here last evening.
Lauding Orissa's contribution in the field of literature, sculpture and arts, Dikshit placed poet Jayadev at par with Sanskrit scholars like Kalidas.
Full report here Zeenews
Friday, February 19, 2010
Four Indians nominated for Commonwealth Writers' Prize
Noted authors Keki N. Daruwalla and Amit Chaudhuri are among the four Indians nominated for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize 2010. Besides Daruwalla's For Pepper and Christ and Chaudhuri's The Immortals, authors Rana Dasgupta and Chandrahas Chowdhury have also been nominated for their books Solo and Arzee the Dwarf, respectively.
While Solo and Arzee The Dwarf have been published by HarperCollins-India, For Pepper and Christ has been published by Penguin-Books India and The Immortals has been published by Picador-India.
For Pepper and Christ is a historic tale of sailors voyaging during the time of Vasco Da Gama that weaves itself around the legend of Prestor John and spice trade. The Immortals is the story of two families in Mumbai of the 'eighties bound by music.
Other nominees for best book in Europe and South Asia include The Beijing of Possibilities by Jonathan Tel (Britian), Heartland by Anthony Catwright (Britain) In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin (Pakistan) and Another Gulmohar Tree by Aamer Hussain (Pakistan), a communique issued by HarperCollins said on Friday.
Full report here Little About
-=-=-=-=-
The regional winners shortlisted are:
Africa
The shortlisted writers for Africa's Best Book are:
Trespass by Dawn Garisch (South Africa)
The Double Crown by Marié Heese (South Africa)
The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria)
Eyo by Abidemi Sanusi (Nigeria)
Tsamma Season by Rosemund Handler (South Africa)
Refuge by Andrew Brown (South Africa)
Kings of the Water by Mark Behr (South Africa)
The shortlisted writers for Africa's Best First Book are:
I Do Not Come to You by Chance by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani (Nigeria
The Shape of Him by Gill Schierhout (South Africa)
The Shadow of a Smile by Kachi Ozumba (Nigeria)
Come Sunday by Isla Morley (South Africa)
Sleepers Wake by Alistair Morgan (South Africa)
Jelly Dog Days by Erica Emdon (South Africa)
Harmattan Rain by Aysha Harunna Attah (Ghana)
Caribbean and Canada
The shortlisted writers or the Caribbean and Canada Best Book are:
The Winter Vault by Anne Michaels (Canada)
February by Lisa Moore (Canada)
Euphoria by Connie Gault (Canada)
Goya's Dog by Damian Tarnopolsky (Canada)
Galore by Michael Crummey (Canada)
The Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon (Canada)
The shortlisted writers for the Caribbean and Canada Best First Book are:
Under this Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell (Canada)
Daniel O'Thunder by Ian Weir (Canada)
The Island Quintet: Five Stories by Raymond Ramchartiar (Trinidad)
Diary of Interrupted Days by Dragan Todorovic (Canada)
The Briss by Michael Tregebov (Canada)
Amphibian by Carla Gunn (Canada)
South Asia and Europe
The shortlisted writers for South Asia and Europe Best Book are:
Solo by Rana Dasgupta (Britain)
For Pepper and Christ: A Novel by Keki Daruwalla (India)
The Beijing of Possibilities by Jonathan Tel (Britain)
Heartland by Anthony Catwright (Britain)
Another Gulmohar Tree by Aamer Hussein (Pakistan)
The Immortals by Amit Chaudhuri (India)
The shortlisted writers for South Asia and Europe Best First Book are:
The Hungry Ghosts by Anne Berry (Britain)
Arzee the Dwarf by Chandrahas Choudhury (India)
In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin (Pakistan)
Among Thieves by Mez Packer (Britain)
An Equal Stillness by Francesca Kay (Britain)
Tail of the Blue Bird by Nii Parkes (Britain)
South East Asia and Pacific
The shortlisted writers for South East Asia and Pacific Best Book are:
Summertime by J.M Coetzee (Australia)
A Good Land by Nada Awar Jarrar (Australia)
The Adventures of Vela by Albert Wendt (Samoa)
Singularity by Charlotte Grimshaw (New Zealand)
The People's Train by Thomas Keneally (Australia)
Parrot and Oliver in America by Peter Carey (Australia)
The shortlisted writers for South East Asia and Pacific Best First Book are:
The Ice Age by Kirsten Reed (Australia)
After the fire, a still small voice by Evie Wyld (Australia)
Look Who's Morphing by Tom Cho (Australia)
Document Z by Andrew Croome (Australia)
Come Inside by Glenys Osborne (Australia)
Siddon Rock by Glenda Guest (Australia)
For Pepper and Christ is a historic tale of sailors voyaging during the time of Vasco Da Gama that weaves itself around the legend of Prestor John and spice trade. The Immortals is the story of two families in Mumbai of the 'eighties bound by music.
Other nominees for best book in Europe and South Asia include The Beijing of Possibilities by Jonathan Tel (Britian), Heartland by Anthony Catwright (Britain) In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin (Pakistan) and Another Gulmohar Tree by Aamer Hussain (Pakistan), a communique issued by HarperCollins said on Friday.
Full report here Little About
-=-=-=-=-
The regional winners shortlisted are:
Africa
The shortlisted writers for Africa's Best Book are:
Trespass by Dawn Garisch (South Africa)
The Double Crown by Marié Heese (South Africa)
The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria)
Eyo by Abidemi Sanusi (Nigeria)
Tsamma Season by Rosemund Handler (South Africa)
Refuge by Andrew Brown (South Africa)
Kings of the Water by Mark Behr (South Africa)
The shortlisted writers for Africa's Best First Book are:
I Do Not Come to You by Chance by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani (Nigeria
The Shape of Him by Gill Schierhout (South Africa)
The Shadow of a Smile by Kachi Ozumba (Nigeria)
Come Sunday by Isla Morley (South Africa)
Sleepers Wake by Alistair Morgan (South Africa)
Jelly Dog Days by Erica Emdon (South Africa)
Harmattan Rain by Aysha Harunna Attah (Ghana)
Caribbean and Canada
The shortlisted writers or the Caribbean and Canada Best Book are:
The Winter Vault by Anne Michaels (Canada)
February by Lisa Moore (Canada)
Euphoria by Connie Gault (Canada)
Goya's Dog by Damian Tarnopolsky (Canada)
Galore by Michael Crummey (Canada)
The Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon (Canada)
The shortlisted writers for the Caribbean and Canada Best First Book are:
Under this Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell (Canada)
Daniel O'Thunder by Ian Weir (Canada)
The Island Quintet: Five Stories by Raymond Ramchartiar (Trinidad)
Diary of Interrupted Days by Dragan Todorovic (Canada)
The Briss by Michael Tregebov (Canada)
Amphibian by Carla Gunn (Canada)
South Asia and Europe
The shortlisted writers for South Asia and Europe Best Book are:
Solo by Rana Dasgupta (Britain)
For Pepper and Christ: A Novel by Keki Daruwalla (India)
The Beijing of Possibilities by Jonathan Tel (Britain)
Heartland by Anthony Catwright (Britain)
Another Gulmohar Tree by Aamer Hussein (Pakistan)
The Immortals by Amit Chaudhuri (India)
The shortlisted writers for South Asia and Europe Best First Book are:
The Hungry Ghosts by Anne Berry (Britain)
Arzee the Dwarf by Chandrahas Choudhury (India)
In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin (Pakistan)
Among Thieves by Mez Packer (Britain)
An Equal Stillness by Francesca Kay (Britain)
Tail of the Blue Bird by Nii Parkes (Britain)
South East Asia and Pacific
The shortlisted writers for South East Asia and Pacific Best Book are:
Summertime by J.M Coetzee (Australia)
A Good Land by Nada Awar Jarrar (Australia)
The Adventures of Vela by Albert Wendt (Samoa)
Singularity by Charlotte Grimshaw (New Zealand)
The People's Train by Thomas Keneally (Australia)
Parrot and Oliver in America by Peter Carey (Australia)
The shortlisted writers for South East Asia and Pacific Best First Book are:
The Ice Age by Kirsten Reed (Australia)
After the fire, a still small voice by Evie Wyld (Australia)
Look Who's Morphing by Tom Cho (Australia)
Document Z by Andrew Croome (Australia)
Come Inside by Glenys Osborne (Australia)
Siddon Rock by Glenda Guest (Australia)
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