2012 Commonwealth Writers' Prize

The Commonwealth Writers' Prize has been given a makeover in 2012.  Previously prizes were awarded for the Best Book and for Best First Book for each of four regions: Africa, Caribbean and Canada, South Asia and Europe and South East Asia and Pacific.  The winners in each category were then pitted against each other to produce overall winners.

In 2011 the Commonwealth Foundation re-organised the prizes to now make awards for Best Book (best first full-length novel) and Best Short Story.  As previously winners are announced in each region and overall winner are also determined.

The regional winners for 2012 have been announced as:

Commonwealth Book Prize

Regional Winner, Africa
Jacques Strauss, South Africa The Dubious Salvation of Jack V, Jonathan Cape

Regional Winner, Asia
Shehan Karunatilaka, Sri Lanka, Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew, Random House

Regional Winner, Canada and Europe
Riel Nason, Canada, The Town that Drowned, Goose Lane Editions

Regional Winner, Caribbean
Alecia McKenzie, Jamaica, Sweetheart, Peepal Tree Press

Regional Winner, Pacific
Cory Taylor, Australia, Me and Mr Booker, The Text Publishing Company

Commonwealth Short Story Prize

Regional Winner, Africa
Jekwu Anyaegbuna, Nigeria, Morrison Okoli (1955-2010)

Regional Winner, Asia
Anushka Jasraj, India, Radio Story

Regional Winner, Canada and Europe
Andrea Mullaney, UK, The Ghost Marriage

Regional Winner, Caribbean
Diana McCaulay, Jamaica, The Dolphin Catcher

Regional Winner, Pacific
Emma Martin, New Zealand, Two Girls in a Boat

The overall winners will be announced at the Hay Festival in the UK on June 8, 2012.

You can read details of all the shortlists here.