The 2011 Arthur C. Clarke Award has been presented to Lauren Beukes for her novel Zoo City.
Beukes becomes the first woman to win the Clarke Award since 2002, and the first author from outside the UK and North America to do so since 1997.
I must admit I didn’t see that result coming, but such is the nature of the Clarke. Zoo City is a fine book, and I hope this win brings more attention to the work of Lauren Beukes, a writer who I’m sure is set to build a fascinating body of work in the years ahead.
28th April 2011 at 3:19 pm
I was hoping she would win, Zoo City was refreshingly wonderful!!
1st May 2011 at 7:37 pm
Have you read The Dervish House at all? I’d be interested to know how you think the two books compare.
1st May 2011 at 11:50 pm
David, I’m embarrassed to say I’ve gotten Dervish House out of the library twice, read about 100 pages, twice, and then returned it. I just couldn’t get into it. I guess I should give it another try?
2nd May 2011 at 5:04 pm
Hmm, I guess that, if the first hundred pages didn’t grab you, the rest probably won’t. But they both struck me as books with a strong sense of place.