Commonwealth Foundation prizes


presented a number of prizes between 1987 and 2011. The main award was called the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and was composed of two prizes: the Best Book Prize was awarded from 1987 to 2011; the Best First Book prize was awarded from 1989 to 2011. In addition the Commonwealth Short Story Competition was awarded from 1996 to 2011.
Beginning in 2012, Commonwealth Foundation discontinued its previous awards and created a new cultural initiative called Commonwealth Writers, which offered two new awards: the Commonwealth Book Prize for the best first book, in which regional winners received £2,500 and the overall winner received £10,000; and the Commonwealth Short Story Prize for the best short stories, in which regional winners received £1,000 and the overall winner received £5,000. After two years, the Book Prize was discontinued. The Short Story Prize remains the sole award from Commonwealth Writers.

Commonwealth Short Story Prize

The Commonwealth Short Story Prize, set up in 2012, is awarded annually for a piece of unpublished short fiction. It is open to Commonwealth citizens aged 18 and over who have had little or no work published and is particularly aimed at those places with little or no publishing industry.

Commonwealth Book Prize (2012–13)

Awarded for best first book, the Commonwealth Book Prize was established in 2012 for writers who were Commonwealth citizens aged 18 or over and who have had their first novel published in the year of entry. The Commonwealth Book Prize was part of an initiative by the Commonwealth Foundation called Commonwealth Writers, which seeks to unearth, develop and promote the best new fiction from across the Commonwealth.
Regional winners received £2,500 and the overall winner received £10,000.
The prize was active for two years, 2012 and 2013, and then discontinued.
YearRegionAuthorTitleCountryPublisher
2012AfricaJacques StraussThe Dubious Salvation of Jack VSouth AfricaJonathan Cape
2012 Asia Shehan Karunatilaka 'Sri Lanka Random House
2012Canada and EuropeRiel NasonThe Town That DrownedCanadaGoose Lane Editions
2012CaribbeanAlecia McKenzieSweetheartJamaicaPeepal Tree Press
2012PacificCory TaylorMe and Mr BookerAustraliaThe Text Publishing Company
2013AfricaE. E. SuleSterile SkyNigeriaPearson Education
2013AsiaNayomi MunaweeraIsland of a Thousand MirrorsSri LankaPerera-Hussein Publishing House
2013 Canada and Europe Lisa O'Donnell The Death of Bees United Kingdom William Heinemann
2013CaribbeanEzekel AlanDisposable PeopleJamaicaself-published
2013'PacificMichael SalaThe Last Thread''AustraliaAffirm Press

Commonwealth Short Story Competition (1996–2011)

The Commonwealth Short Story Competition was an annual literary award. It was established in 1996 and administered by the Commonwealth Foundation in partnership with the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association.
Each year winning stories from different regions of the Commonwealth were recorded and broadcast on radio stations across the Commonwealth. The winner received a prize of £2,000 and there were regional prizes of £500 and highly commended prizes of £100.
In 2011 the competition was discontinued.
YearAuthorCountryTitle
1996
1997Dana GilkesBarbados"Crab Catcher"
1998Sujam SankrantiIndia
1999Cherie JonesBarbados"Bride"
2000Dennis NicholsGuyana"The Release"
2001Lelawattee Manoo-RahmingBahamas"Saving Rupa"
2002Michael ReckordJamaica"The Cleaning Class"
2003Madhulika LiddleIndia"A Morning Swim"
2004Ruvanee P. VilhauerSri Lanka"Going Home"
2005Preeta KrishnaIndia"Treason"
2006Erin SorosCanada"The Moon, the Cat and the Donkey"
2007Ellen Banda-AakuZambia"Sozi's Box"
2008Julie CurwinCanada"World Backwards"
2009Jennifer MooreUnited Kingdom"Table Talk"
2010Shachi KaulIndia"Retirement"
2011Philip NashUnited Kingdom"Rejoinder"

Commonwealth Writers' Prize

The Commonwealth Writers' Prize was established in 1987. Each year, prizes for Best Book and Best First Book were awarded in four regions: Africa, Caribbean and Canada, South Asia and Europe and South East Asia and Pacific. Eight regional winners then competed for the pan-Commonwealth Best Book and Best First Book prizes, awarded at a public programme held in a different Commonwealth country each year.
The award was discontinued in 2011, when the Commonwealth Foundation launched a new cultural programme, Commonwealth Writers, which offered the Commonwealth Short Story Prize.

Commonwealth Writers' Prize: Best Book (1987–2011)

In the following lists for the Best Book Prize and Best First Book, the overall winners are in bold and in blue background; those not in bold are the winners of the listed regions.
YearRegionAuthorTitleCountryPublisher
2011AfricaAminatta FornaThe Memory of LoveSierra Leone
2011Canada and the CaribbeanEmma DonoghueRoomCanada
2011Europe and South AsiaDavid MitchellThe Thousand Autumns of Jacob de ZoetUK
2011South East Asia and South PacificKim ScottThat Deadman DanceAustralia
2010AfricaMarié HeeseThe Double CrownSouth Africa
2010Canada and the CaribbeanMichael CrummeyGaloreCanada
2010Europe and South AsiaRana DasguptaSoloIndia/UK
2010South East Asia and South PacificAlbert WendtThe Adventures of VelaSamoa
2009AfricaMandla LangaThe Lost Colours of the ChameleonSouth AfricaPicador Africa
2009Canada and the CaribbeanMarina EndicottGood to a FaultCanadaFreehand Books
2009Europe and South AsiaJhumpa LahiriUnaccustomed EarthIndia/UKBloomsbury Publishing
2009South East Asia and South PacificChristos TsiolkasThe SlapAustraliaAllen & Unwin
2008AfricaKaren King-AribisalaThe Hangman's GameNigeriaPeepal Tree Press
2008Canada and the CaribbeanLawrence HillThe Book of NegroesCanadaHarperCollins
2008Europe and South AsiaIndra SinhaAnimal's PeopleIndiaSimon & Schuster
2008South East Asia and South PacificSteven CarrollThe Time We Have TakenAustraliaHarperCollins
2007AfricaShaun JohnsonThe Native CommissionerSouth AfricaPenguin Books
2007Canada and the CaribbeanDavid Adams RichardsThe Friends of Meager FortuneCanadaDoubleday
2007Europe and South AsiaNaeem MurrThe Perfect ManUKHeinemann
2007South East Asia and South PacificLloyd JonesMister PipNew ZealandPenguin Books
2006AfricaBenjamin KwakyeThe Sun by NightGhanaAfrica World Press
2006Canada and the CaribbeanLisa MooreAlligatorCanadaHouse of Anansi Press
2006Europe and South AsiaZadie SmithOn BeautyUKHamish Hamilton
2006South East Asia and South PacificKate GrenvilleThe Secret RiverAustraliaText Publishing
2005AfricaLindsey CollenBoySouth AfricaBloomsbury
2005Canada and the CaribbeanAlice MunroRunawayCanadaMcClelland and Stewart
2005Europe and South AsiaAndrea LevySmall IslandUKReview
2005South East Asia and South PacificAndrew McGahanThe White EarthAustraliaAllen & Unwin
2004AfricaDamon GalgutThe Good DoctorSouth AfricaViking Books
2004Canada and the CaribbeanFrances ItaniDeafeningCanadaFlamingo
2004Europe and South AsiaCaryl PhillipsA Distant ShoreUKSecker & Warburg
2004South East Asia and South PacificMichelle de KretserThe Hamilton CaseAustraliaKnopf
2003AfricaAndre BrinkThe Other Side of SilenceSouth AfricaSecker & Warburg
2003Canada and the CaribbeanAustin ClarkeThe Polished HoeCanadaThomas Allan
2003Europe and South AsiaMichael FraynSpiesUKFaber and Faber
2003South East Asia and South PacificSonya HartnettOf a BoyAustraliaViking Books
2002AfricaNadine GordimerThe PickupSouth AfricaBloomsbury
2002Canada and the CaribbeanAlice MunroHateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, MarriageCanadaMcClelland and Stewart
2002Europe and South AsiaIan McEwanAtonementUKJonathan Cape
2002South East Asia and South PacificRichard FlanaganGould's Book of FishAustraliaPicador
2001AfricaZakes MdaThe Heart of RednessSouth AfricaOxford University Press
2001Canada and the CaribbeanAnita Rau BadamiThe Hero's WalkCanadaKnopf
2001Europe and South AsiaJ. G. BallardSuper-CannesUKFlamingo
2001South East Asia and South PacificPeter CareyTrue History of the Kelly GangAustraliaUniversity of Queensland Press
2000AfricaJ. M. CoetzeeDisgraceSouth AfricaSecker & Warburg
2000Canada and the CaribbeanShauna Singh BaldwinWhat the Body RemembersCanadaDoubleday
2000Europe and South AsiaSalman RushdieThe Ground Beneath Her FeetUKJonathan Cape
2000South East Asia and South PacificLily BrettToo Many MenAustraliaPicador
1999AfricaMarion MoltenoIf You Can Walk, You Can DanceSouth AfricaShola Books
1999Canada and the CaribbeanLawrence ScottAelred's SinTrinidadAllison & Busby
1999Europe and South AsiaBeryl BainbridgeMaster GeorgieUKDuckworth
1999South East Asia and South PacificMurray BailEucalyptusAustraliaHarvill Press
1998AfricaCharles MungoshiWalking StillZimbabweBaobab Books
1998Canada and the CaribbeanMordecai RichlerBarney's VersionCanadaKnopf
1998Europe and South AsiaVikram ChandraLove and Longing in BombayIndiaFaber and Faber
1998South East Asia and South PacificPeter CareyJack MaggsAustraliaUniversity of Queensland Press
1997AfricaYvonne VeraUnder the TongueZimbabweBoabab Books
1997Canada and the CaribbeanEarl LovelaceSaltTrinidadFaber and Faber
1997Europe and South AsiaBeryl BainbridgeEvery Man for HimselfUKDuckworth
1997South East Asia and South PacificSue WoolfeLeaning Towards InfinityAustraliaRandom House
1996AfricaNo selection made
1996Canada and the CaribbeanRohinton MistryA Fine BalanceCanadaMcClelland & Stewart
1996Europe and South AsiaDavid LodgeTherapyUKSecker & Warburg
1996South East Asia and South PacificGillian MearsThe Grass SisterAustraliaRandom House
1995AfricaJ. M. CoetzeeThe Master of PetersburgSouth AfricaSecker & Warburg
1995Canada and the CaribbeanV. S. NaipaulA Way in the WorldTrinidadHeinemann
1995Europe and South AsiaLouis de BernièresCaptain Corelli's MandolinUKSecker & Warburg
1995South East Asia and South PacificTim WintonThe RidersAustraliaPan Macmillan
1994AfricaLindsey CollenThe Rape of SitaMauritiusLedikasyon pu Travayer
1994Canada and the CaribbeanMargaret AtwoodThe Robber BrideCanadaMcClelland & Stewart
1994Europe and South AsiaVikram SethA Suitable BoyIndiaPenguin Books
1994South East Asia and South PacificDavid MaloufRemembering BabylonAustraliaRandom House
1993AfricaIsidore OkpewhoTidesNigeriaLongman
1993Canada and the CaribbeanMichael OndaatjeThe English PatientCanadaMcClelland & Stewart
1993Europe and South AsiaLee LangleyPersistent RumoursUKWilliam Heinemann
1993South East Asia and South PacificAlex MillerThe Ancestor GameAustraliaPenguin Books
1992AfricaAma Ata AidooChangesGhanaThe Women's Press
1992Canada and the CaribbeanRohinton MistrySuch a Long JourneyCanadaMcClelland & Stewart
1992Europe and South AsiaLouis de BernièresSeñor Vivo & the Coca LordUKSecker & Warburg
1992South East Asia and South PacificAlbert WendtOlaSamoa/New ZealandPenguin Books
1991AfricaSyl Cheney-CokerThe Last Harmattan of Alusine DunbarSierra LeoneHeinemann
1991Canada and the CaribbeanAlice MunroFriend of My YouthCanadaMcClelland & Stewart
1991Europe and South AsiaA. S. Byatt'UKChatto & Windus
1991South East Asia and South PacificDavid MaloufThe Great WorldAustraliaChatto & Windus
1990AfricaShimmer ChinodyaHarvest of ThornsZimbabweBaobab Books
1990Canada and the CaribbeanMordecai RichlerSolomon Gursky Was HereCanadaViking Books
1990Europe and South AsiaShashi TharoorThe Great Indian NovelIndiaPenguin Books
1990South East Asia and South PacificRobert DreweThe Bay of Contented MenAustraliaPicador
1989AfricaTsitsi DangarembgaNervous ConditionsZimbabweThe Women's Press
1989Canada and the CaribbeanErna BrodberMyalJamaicaNew Beacon Books
1989Europe and South AsiaMarina WarnerThe Lost FatherUKChatto & Windus
1989South East Asia and South PacificJanet FrameThe CarpathiansNew ZealandCentury Hutchinson
1988AfricaFestus IyayiHeroesNigeriaLongman
1988Canada and the CaribbeanJack HodginsThe Honorary PatronCanadaMcClelland & Stewart
1988Europe and South AsiaBruce ChatwinSonglinesUKJonathan Cape
1988South East Asia and South PacificGeorge TurnerThe Sea and SummerAustraliaFaber and Faber
1987AfricaBen OkriIncidents at the ShrineNigeriaWilliam Heinemann
1987AfricaKen Saro-WiwaA Forest of FlowersNigeriaSaros International
1987Canada and the CaribbeanMargaret AtwoodThe Handmaid's TaleCanadaJonathan Cape
1987Canada and the CaribbeanOlive SeniorSummer LightningCanadaLongman
1987Europe and South AsiaNayantara SahgalPlans for DepartureIndiaWilliam Heinemann
1987South East Asia and South PacificBlanche d'AlpugetWinter in JerusalemAustraliaHeinemann
1987'South East Asia and South PacificWiti IhimaeraThe Matriarch''New ZealandHeinemann

Commonwealth Writers' Prize: Best First Book (1989–2011)