News just out – the winner of the 2007 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize Best Book Award, South East Asia and South Pacific Region is Mister Pip, by our very own Lloyd Jones. LeafSalon warmly congratulates Mr Jones on a job very well done indeed. The book is a quiet masterpiece, as reviewed here by The Listener. I have read it, loved it, and am still from time to time haunted by it’s quiet beauty, and quiet horror. This man is a very, very good writer and we fervently hope he gets the big one. Equally LeafSalon commiserates with Lloyd’s fellow shortlisted authors Damien Wilkins, James George and Paul Shannon, all of whose books are also superb (yes, I have read them all, but have reviewed only Davey Darling. I am a bad, bad girl, but nevertheless, urge you to read them all too).

We should mention that the Best First Book Award winner was given Andrew O’Connor of Australia, for his book Tuvalu which is about a down-and-out geezer living in Tokyo who becomes captivated by a local Scarlet O’Hara type. The judges said it was ‘a blackly funny, inconclusive and strangely beguiling story of ennui, escape, exile and dreams.’

These two will join the other eight regional winners (two from each of the four Commonwealth regions) in attending a special week-long literary programme in Jamaica in May 2007. The literary programme, a series of readings, discussions and other public events, will take place at the same time as the judging. The overall winners will be announced on Sunday 27 May at the Calabash International Literary Festival in Treasure Beach. Lovely. Jones is quoted by his publisher, Penguin, (in their press release entitled ‘Greater Expectations’, ha-ha) as saying ‘I am very happy. I've never been to Jamaica before and I can't think of a better reason to have to visit.' Good gracious, he might even meet the Queen, who has in the past graciously invited the Best Book Winner for a cuppa at the Palace.

New Zealander Dr Christine Prentice, the Chair of Judges, comments generally on the 2007 judging as follows: “There was a true mix of established writers working at the peak of their craft, demonstrating polished sophistication, as well as works that were distinguished more by risk-taking or by powerful affective qualities in narratives whose crafting was more raw. We gave careful consideration to all the qualities of structure and aesthetics, as well as stylistic innovation and scope or significance, appreciating the very different ways that the works impressed and affected us.

“The diversity of works, across both short fiction and novels, cannot be encompassed in a brief summary. However, three features of this year’s entries particularly impressed us: the various uses of uncommon settings or points of view, and a range of narratives of cross-cultural reference or interaction; the great care taken by writers with characterisation, and indeed the care shown for characters in achievements of warmth, empathy and humour in voice and focalisation. On a thematic level, we were struck by how many works had historical or more recent wars and their legacies, or threats, fears, or acts of terrorism, either in the background or foreground of narrative events and characters’ lives. These apparent responses to the uncertainties of the present times were nevertheless largely presented with concern for, and appreciation of cultural and personal interconnectedness, and ultimate attention to the craft of writing, that generally made for enriching as much as challenging reading.”

So there you go. Well done, Lloyd.