Commonwealth Writers' Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 20 (2006) Winner
Mark McWatt
マーク・マクワット
Māku Makuwa tto
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1947-09-29 （Guyana）
- Nationality
- Guyanese
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Guyana (birth/early life) → Canada (Toronto, studies) → United Kingdom (Leeds, graduate studies) → Barbados (UWI Cave Hill campus) → Jamaica (UWI Mona - related activity)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Academic
- Active Years
- 1975-
- Affiliations
- University of the West Indies (Cave Hill campus)
- Influenced By
- Wilson Harris
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Toronto | — | English | — | 1966–1970 | Canada |
| Leeds University | — | English | Ph.D. | 1970–1975 | United Kingdom |
University of Toronto
English
Period:
1966–1970
Year of Graduation:
1970
Country:
Canada
Leeds University
English
Degree:
Ph.D.
Period:
1970–1975
Year of Graduation:
1975
Country:
United Kingdom
Studied the works of Wilson Harris
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Guyana Prize | The Language of Eldorado | — | — | 受賞 |
| 2006 | Commonwealth Writers' Prize | Suspended Sentences | — | Commonwealth Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2006 | Casa de las Américas Prize | Suspended Sentences | 英語またはクレオール語のカリブ文学最優秀作 | Casa de las Américas | 受賞 |
Guyana Prize
Work:
The Language of Eldorado
Result:
受賞
Commonwealth Writers' Prize
2006
Work:
Suspended Sentences
Organization:
Commonwealth Foundation
Result:
受賞
Casa de las Américas Prize
2006
Work:
Suspended Sentences
Category:
英語またはクレオール語のカリブ文学最優秀作
Organization:
Casa de las Américas
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Interiors
1989 PoetryEarly collection of poems exploring the intersection of interior states and landscape.
interior stateslandscape
The Language of Eldorado
1994 PoetryA collection that poetically portrays Guyanese landscape and culture, weaving natural and supernatural elements.
Guyana landscapethe supernatural
The Journey to Le Repentir
2009 PoetryA mature collection dealing with memory, atonement and relationships to place.
memoryatonementsense of place
Suspended Sentences: Fictions of Atonement
2005 Short fictionA collection of short fictions themed around atonement and memory, portraying Caribbean society and inner conflicts.
atonementmemoryCaribbean society
Bibliography
- Interiors
- The Language of Eldorado
- Suspended Sentences: Fictions of Atonement
- The Journey to Le Repentir
- The Oxford Book of Caribbean Verse (ed. with Stewart Brown)
- The Caribbean Short Story: Critical Perspectives (ed.)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Poetic style emphasizing natural descriptionContrasts interior states with external landscapes
- Recurring Motifs
- Guyana landscapememorysupernatural (Caribbean folklore)atonement
Legacy
Mark McWatt, a Guyanese poet and writer, has made significant contributions to both creative and critical Caribbean literature. Founder-editor of the Journal of West Indian Literature and co-editor of The Oxford Book of Caribbean Verse, he gained international recognition with his short fiction collection Suspended Sentences and is regarded as an important contemporary Caribbean literary figure.
Academic Societies
- Academic groups related to Caribbean literature (associated)
Archives
- University of the West Indies archives (related materials)
Quotes
-
My poetry was inspired by the Guyana landscape; it can at once alter and respond to interior states.
Source: Interview: "Landscape and Identity: Re-encountering Guyana in an interview With Mark McWatt" (Kaieteur News) (2009)
Trivia
- Founding editor of the Journal of West Indian Literature in 1986.
- Retired from the University of the West Indies in 2007 as Professor Emeritus.
- Won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and the Casa de las Américas Prize for Suspended Sentences.
- Co-edited The Oxford Book of Caribbean Verse with Stewart Brown.