SA AUTHORS ROCK

Announcing the longlists for South Africa’s most prestigious annual literary awards, the Alan Paton Award for non-fiction and the Barry Ronge Fiction Prize, in association with Porcupine Ridge. The shortlists will be announced on Saturday May 14 at the Fr

Unveiling the long list of finalists in the 2016 Sunday Times literary awards

THIS is the 27th year the Alan Paton Award will be bestowed on a book that presents “the illumination of truthfulness, especially those forms of it that are new, delicate, unfashionable and fly in the face of power”, and that demonstrates “compassion, elegance of writing, and intellectual and moral integrity”.

“The 2016 Alan Paton Awards longlisted books examine topics that cover almost the whole spectrum of macro subjects — culture, race, politics, economics — that impact on South Africa today. There are personal stories about high-profile figures as well as ordinary people such as street kids and women sangomas in patriarchal rural environments, all of whom deal with the challenging realities of their lives in different ways. Questions are asked: what is race and racism; how is inequality defined; is a true democracy solely embedded in its political order; and how can the constitution be made to work for the true liberation of all citizens. The books selected for consideration are those that are honest, do not hesitate to challenge power and convention, and are engaging enough to reach a broad general readership. Finally, whatever the writer has to say, his or her book will achieve enduring impact because of how well he or she can write.” — Achmat Dangor (chair)

THIS is the 16th edition of the Sunday Times fiction prize, now named for Barry Ronge, the arts commentator who was one of the founders of our literary awards. The criteria stipulate that the winning novel should be one of “rare imagination and style . . . a tale so compelling as to become an enduring landmark of contemporary fiction”.

“It is not without trepidation that I look at the longlist. The selection appears as challenging as last year. There are books by old hands and first books, and a varied range of themes and stylistic approaches. Some are set in the past, while some engage with the past through characters’ memories. But there are also books set in a more contemporary space and others in an apocalyptic future. Some engage with contemporary issues, from internet-enabled stalking to stories of and from under-represented rural perspectives.

“There are stories set locally and elsewhere, as well as jet-setting stories. There are generally realist stories and there are science fiction or speculative fiction stories. Tender, lyrical narratives wistful and romantic, and narratives that come at you with the full blast of the digital-information age. There is seriousness and humour. South African writers are writing. It is a daunting field — the process will be intense.” — Rustum Kozain (chair) @Grondwerk