Redi Tlhabi, Jacques Pauw, Qarnita Loxton, Marlene van Niekerk and Michiel Heyns are among the authors shortlisted for this year’s Media24 Books Literary Awards.

These annual awards serve to recognise the best work published during the previous year by Media24 book publishers including NB Publishers (through imprints such as Human & Rousseau, Tafelberg, Kwela and Queillerie) and Jonathan Ball Publishers.

This year, prizes to the value of R210,000 will be awarded in six categories.

Independent judging panels compiled the shortlists from 80 submissions in total. The shortlists consist of three titles each, apart from the Elizabeth Eybers Poetry Prize where an exceptionally strong field saw four titles included on the shortlist.

The winner in each category receives R35,000. The MER Prize for Illustrated Children’s Books is shared by the author and illustrator of the winning title.

The awards function will be held in Cape Town on Thursday, 14 June 2018.

2018 Media24 Books Literary Awards shortlists

(in alphabetical order according to author)

 

Herman Charles Bosman Prize for English Fiction (novels, short stories, drama)

• The Life of Worm and Other Misconceptions by Ken Barris (Kwela)
• I am Pandarus by Michiel Heyns (Jonathan Ball Publishers)
• Being Kari by Qarnita Loxton (Kwela)

 

Recht Malan Prize for Non-fiction

• How to Steal a City by Crispian Olver (Jonathan Ball Publishers)
• The President’s Keepers by Jacques Pauw (Tafelberg)
• Khwezi: The Story of Fezekile Kuzwayo by Redi Tlhabi (Jonathan Ball Publishers)

 

WA Hofmeyr Prize for Afrikaans Fiction (novels, short stories, drama)

• As in die mond by Nicole Jaekel Strauss (Queillerie)
• Die wêreld van Charlie Oeng by Etienne van Heerden (Tafelberg)
• Groen soos die hemel daarbo by Eben Venter (Tafelberg)

 

Elisabeth Eybers Prize for Poetry

• Nou, hier by Corné Coetzee (Human & Rousseau)
• Radbraak by Jolyn Phillips (Human & Rousseau)
• Alles het niet kom wôd by Nathan Trantraal (Kwela)
• In die stille agterkamer by Marlene van Niekerk (Human & Rousseau)

 

MER Prize for Youth Novels

• Hap by Lesley Beake (Tafelberg)
• Blou is nie ’n kleur nie by Carin Krahtz (Tafelberg)
• Soen by Jan Vermeulen (Tafelberg)

 

MER Prize for Illustrated Children’s Books

• The All Africa Wildlife Express by Rosamund Haden and Tony Pinchuck (illustrator)
• Karel Kraai se kitaar by Louise Smit and Luan Serfontein (illustrator)
• Liewe Heksie en die sterretjieskombuis, based on the original story by Verna Vels and illustrated by Vian Oelofsen

 

Categories Fiction Non-fiction South Africa

Tags Awards Crispian Olver Herman Charles Bosman Prize Human and Rousseau Jacques Pauw Jonathan Ball Publishers Ken Barris Kwela Marlene van Niekerk Media24 Media24 Books Literary Awards Media24 Books Prizes Michiel Heyns NB Publishers News Qarnita Loxton Queillerie Redi Tlhabi Tafelberg