Caine Prize for African Writing
1 appearances
-
Edition 22 (2021) Winner
Meron Hadero
メロン・ハデロ
Meron Hadero
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Nationality
- Ethiopian American
- Languages
- English, Amharic
- Residence History
- Ethiopia (birth) → Germany (immigrant/residence) → United States (residence/works)
Career
- Occupations
- Short story writer, Writer
- Affiliations
- San Jose State University (Steinbeck Fellow)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton University | History | — | BA | — | United States |
| University of Michigan | Master of Fine Arts (MFA) | — | MFA | — | United States |
| Yale Law School | Juris Doctor (JD) | — | JD | — | United States |
Princeton University
History
Degree:
BA
Country:
United States
Degree in history
University of Michigan
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Degree:
MFA
Country:
United States
Graduate creative writing program (MFA)
Yale Law School
Juris Doctor (JD)
Degree:
JD
Country:
United States
Earned a Juris Doctor (JD)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing | A Down Home Meal for These Difficult Times | — | Restless Books | Won |
| 2021 | Caine Prize for African Writing | The Street Sweep (short story) | — | Caine Prize | Won |
| 2023 | Hurston/Wright Legacy Award | A Down Home Meal for These Difficult Times | — | Hurston/Wright Foundation | Won |
| 2023 | PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize (Debut short story collection) | A Down Home Meal for These Difficult Times | — | PEN America | Finalist |
| — | Yaddo fellowship | — | — | Yaddo | Recipient |
| — | Ragdale fellowship | — | — | Ragdale | Recipient |
| — | MacDowell fellowship | — | — | MacDowell | Recipient |
Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing
2020
Work:
A Down Home Meal for These Difficult Times
Organization:
Restless Books
Result:
Won
Caine Prize for African Writing
2021
Work:
The Street Sweep (short story)
Organization:
Caine Prize
Result:
Won
Hurston/Wright Legacy Award
2023
Work:
A Down Home Meal for These Difficult Times
Organization:
Hurston/Wright Foundation
Result:
Won
PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize (Debut short story collection)
2023
Work:
A Down Home Meal for These Difficult Times
Organization:
PEN America
Result:
Finalist
Yaddo fellowship
Organization:
Yaddo
Result:
Recipient
Ragdale fellowship
Organization:
Ragdale
Result:
Recipient
MacDowell fellowship
Organization:
MacDowell
Result:
Recipient
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
A Down Home Meal for These Difficult Times
2022 Literary fiction (short stories)A short story collection exploring immigration, diaspora, family bonds, and identity in difficult times. The stories portray lives and memories of characters torn between homeland and new places with candid and lyrical prose.
immigrationdiasporafamilyidentityhome
Bibliography
- A Down Home Meal for These Difficult Times (short story collection). Restless Books, 2022. ISBN 9781632061188
- Contributor: Addis Ababa Noir (anthology)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- realist depictionlyrical, poetic prose
- Recurring Motifs
- movement and bordersmemory and recollectiondomestic scenes
Legacy
Meron Hadero has been recognized for short fiction focused on immigration and diaspora, receiving awards such as the Restless Books Prize, the Caine Prize, and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award. She is noted as a distinctive voice portraying cultural crossings between the United States and Ethiopia.
Trivia
- Won the 2021 Caine Prize for African Writing for "The Street Sweep", becoming the first Ethiopian winner.
- Debut collection A Down Home Meal for These Difficult Times won the Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing (2020).
- Received fellowships from Yaddo, Ragdale, and MacDowell.