Jambula Tree and other stories: The Caine Prize for African Writing 8th Annual Collection

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Description

The Caine Prize for African Writing is Africa's leading literary prize, and is awarded to a short story by an African writer published in English, whether in Africa or elsewhere. Each year the winning story and shortlisted entries are collected and published in one volume. The 8th winner is Monica Arac de Nyeko from Uganda for Jambula Tree. Chair of Judges, Jamal Mahjoub from Sudan, described her story as "a witty and touching portrait of a community which is affected forever by a love which blossoms between two adolescents". The book also includes 18 short stories - the winner and shortlist (5 stories) plus 12 stories written at the Caine Prize writers workshop held in Kenya. Accompanying it will be a mini-book of the 2008 shortlisted stories - the winner of which will be announced in Oxford in mid-July.Shortlisted authors for the 8th Prize:Uwem Akpan (Nigeria), My Parents BedroomMonica Arac de Nyeko (Uganda), Jambula TreeE.C Osondu (Nigeria) Jimmy Carter's EyesHenrietta Rose-Innes (South Africa) Bad PlacesAda Udechukwu (Nigeria) Night BusAbout the Caine Prize:The Caine Prize for African Writing is named in memory of the late Sir Michael Caine, former Chairman of Booker plc. He was Chairman of Africa 95, and Chairman of the Booker Prize management committee for almost 25 years.The four African winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Wole Soyinka, Nadine Gordimer, Naguib Mahfouz and John Coetzee are patrons of The Caine Prize.Previous winners and entrants include Segun Afolabi, Leila Aboulela, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Brian Chikwava, Mary Watson, Binyavanga Wainaina and Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor.

Reviews

"An earthquake which shakes the moral foundations...because the shocking couple are two girls, who love without shame. I hardly need explain that this theme means that Arac de Nyeko has herself crossed a line that, these days, runs deeper in Kampala than in Kensington."Boyd Tonkin

Author Bio

Monica was born in Uganda. She studied in Makerere and Groningen universities for a degree in Education and an MA in Humanitarian Assistance. A member of the Uganda Women Writers Association (FEMRITE), she has been an Early Warning Consultant in Rome and a Reports Officer in Khartoum. She has been a fellow on the British Council's Crossing Borders program.