Zimbabwean writer NoViolet Bulawayo has been awarded the prestigious ‘Best of Caine’ prize, an honorary award marking the 25th anniversary of the Caine Prize for African Writing, per guardian.com. The prize celebrates the most outstanding story from past winners of the annual literary award.
Bulawayo received the honour for her powerful short story, Hitting Budapest, which initially won the Caine Prize in 2011. Judges praised the work for its “powerful language, distinctive tone of voice, and bold, compelling storytelling.”
Hitting Budapest follows six children from a shantytown named Paradise who sneak into an affluent neighbourhood, Budapest, to steal guavas. The story is a keen examination of poverty and socio-economic inequalities through the eyes of nine-year-old narrator, Darling.
The story’s significance extends beyond the prize; it served as the opening chapter for Bulawayo’s critically acclaimed debut novel, We Need New Names, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2013, making her the first Black African woman to achieve this recognition. Her second novel, Glory, was also shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2022.
Speaking at the award ceremony in London, Bulawayo reflected on the impact of her initial Caine Prize success. “Winning the Caine prize as an unpublished writer back in 2011 was truly the kind of defining highlight to jumpstart a career,” she said, noting it brought her work “to a global audience, affirmed my literary path, and strengthened my confidence.”
The judging panel for the special anniversary award was chaired by Nobel laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah. The Caine Prize for African Writing, established in 2000, is a £10,000 award that celebrates English-language short stories by African writers. Bulawayo currently teaches at Cornell University in the US.
•Featured image: NoViolet Bulawayo/Nye Lyn Tho
