Kiwi Eleanor Catton Wins Man Booker Prize

New Zealand writer Eleanor Catton has won the prestigious Man Booker Prize.

Ms Catton’s novel The Luminaries was shortlisted among six other titles for the fiction writing award.

The Duchess of Cornwall presented Ms Catton with the award at London’s Guildhall. She takes away a 50,000 pound (NZ$100,000) for her success.

Man Booker judge, Stuart Kelly said The Luminaries read like “a kiwi twin peaks” and is worth reading and re-reading.

The judges said they looked for novels that “extend the power and the possibility of the form”.

The last New Zealander to win the award was Keri Hulme in 1985 for her novel The Bone People.

Founded in 1969, the award is open to British, Irish and Commonwealth authors although from next year, Americans and other English-language writers will also be able to enter.


Tags: Duchess of Cornwall  Eleanor Catton  Keri Hulme  Man Booker Prize  The Bone People  The Luminaries  TVNZ  

Amy Brown’s New Novel Inspired by Women and Art

Amy Brown’s New Novel Inspired by Women and Art

Like many writers before her, New Zealand-born Amy Brown takes inspiration from the Australian feminist icon Stella Maria Miles Franklin in her captivating debut novel My Brilliant Sister – but instead…