British-born Sierra Leonean novelist Aminatta Forna has won the 2011 Commonwealth Writers' Prize for her novel, The Memory of Love , set in the aftermath of Sierra Leone's devastating civil war in which thousands of people were killed.
Judges praised the book for its “powerful portrayal of human resilience,” describing it as a “bold, deeply moving and accomplished novel.”
Ms. Forna, who was born in Scotland and raised in Sierra Leone, said the £10,000 prize “means very many things to me, but mostly that Sierra Leone has won one of its first literary prizes.”
“We have had a struggle in the past 10 or 15 years and I just hope I have made them proud,” she said.
The prize for the Best First Book has gone to Craig Cliff of New Zealand for A Man Melting , a collection of short stories. He will get £5,000.
The judges hailed the winning works as “defining books of our time.”
“This year's winning books demonstrate the irreducible power of the written word at a time of rapid global change and uncertainty. The standard of entries this year has been exceptional, showcasing work with strong insight, spirit and voice, introducing readers to unfamiliar worlds,” said Nicholas Hasluck, chair of the judging panel.
Danny Sriskandarajah, Interim Director of the Commonwealth Foundation, said the prize, now in its 25th year, “embodies the Commonwealth at its best.”
“It unearths the best writing from across 54 countries, promoting dialogue and understanding on an international scale,” he said.
Richard Sheppard, Chairman of the Macquarie Group Foundation, an Australian philanthropic organisation, which supports the prize, said it had “helped to bring writers to new global audiences.”
Previous winners include Ian McEwan, Zadie Smith and Andrea Levy.
