Caine Prize for African Writing
1 appearances
-
Edition 4 (2003) Winner
Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor
イヴォンヌ・アディアンボ・オウオー
Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1968-01-01 （Nairobi, Kenya）
- Nationality
- Kenyan
- Languages
- English, Swahili
- Residence History
- Nairobi, Kenya → Reading, United Kingdom → Brisbane, Australia
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Novelist, Short story writer, Essayist, Screenwriter
- Active Years
- 1998-
- Affiliations
- Zanzibar International Film Festival (former Executive Director)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenyatta University | — | English | — | — | Kenya |
| University of Reading | — | TV/Video development (MA) | MA | — | United Kingdom |
| University of Queensland | — | Creative Writing (MPhil) | MPhil | — | Australia |
Kenyatta University
English
Country:
Kenya
Studied English at undergraduate level
University of Reading
TV/Video development (MA)
Degree:
MA
Country:
United Kingdom
MA in TV/Video development
University of Queensland
Creative Writing (MPhil)
Degree:
MPhil
Country:
Australia
MPhil in Creative Writing
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Caine Prize for African Writing | Weight of Whispers | — | The Caine Prize committee | Winner |
| 2015 | Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature | Dust | — | Jomo Kenyatta Prize organizers | Winner |
| 2004 | Woman of the Year (Arts, Heritage) | — | — | Awarding organization (Kenya) | Winner |
Caine Prize for African Writing
2003
Work:
Weight of Whispers
Organization:
The Caine Prize committee
Result:
Winner
Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature
2015
Work:
Dust
Organization:
Jomo Kenyatta Prize organizers
Result:
Winner
Woman of the Year (Arts, Heritage)
2004
Organization:
Awarding organization (Kenya)
Result:
Winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Weight of Whispers
2003 Short storyA short story that follows an aristocratic Rwandan refugee in Kenya, exploring loss, memory and the difficulties of displacement.
lossmemoryrefugee experience
Dust
2014 Literary fictionA sweeping novel that portrays Kenya's violent history in the latter half of the 20th century, focusing on a family's grief and national corruption in a poetic, impressionistic voice.
violencememoryfamilynational history
Translations
- German translation: Der Ort, an dem die Reise endet
- French translation: La Maison au bout des voyages
The Dragonfly Sea
2019 Literary fictionSet on Pate Island, the novel follows Ayaana as she grows into adulthood amid the sea, migrations and changing cultural and political forces, encountering love, betrayal and spiritual searching.
the seacoming-of-agemigrationcultural contact
Translations
- German translation: Das Meer der Libellen
Bibliography
- Weight of Whispers (short story, 2003)
- Dust (novel, 2014)
- The Dragonfly Sea (novel, 2019)
- Various short stories and essays
Adaptations
- Short film 'The Knife Grinder's Tale' (2007) - film adaptation of the short story
Translations of Works
- German translation of Dust: 'Der Ort, an dem die Reise endet'
- French translation of Dust: 'La Maison au bout des voyages'
- German translation of The Dragonfly Sea: 'Das Meer der Libellen'
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- lyrical and poetic proseimpressionistic descriptionsforceful, fragmentary narration
- Recurring Motifs
- the seamemory and losssilencetraces of violence
Legacy
Owuor is regarded as a leading contemporary Kenyan writer whose poetic style links national history with personal grief. Her awards and international translations have made her an important voice in African literature.
Quotes
-
"In this dazzling novel you will find the entirety of human experience — tearshed, bloodshed, lust, love — in staggering proportions."
Source: Taiye Selasi, review in The New York Times (2014)
Trivia
- Won the 2003 Caine Prize for the short story "Weight of Whispers."
- "The Knife Grinder's Tale" was adapted into a short film in 2007.
- Won the 2015 Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature for the novel Dust.
- Contributed to the 2019 anthology New Daughters of Africa.