Jurors selected for Zimbabwe project
A team of ten jurors has been selected for Zimbabwe's 75 Best Books project. This is an initiative of the Zimbabwe International Book Fair and follows the announcement of Africa's 100 Best Books in 2002. This 75 Best Books project was launched at the 2003 Zimbabwe book fair and seeks to select the 25 best books in three languages: Shona, English and Ndebele.
The ten jurors come from diverse backgrounds which include publishers, academics, critics and journalists. They held their first meeting in October 2003 the jury agreed on a work plan and the criteria to be used in the selection. The selection will be made from the genres of novel, drama, short story, poetry and children’s literature.
The public is being asked to nominate books from Zimbabwe published during the 20th century in the country's three languages.
The 10 jurors are:
Chairman - Professor G. P. Kahari - Director, National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe
SHONA CATEGORY:
- Mrs. Chiedza Musengezi - Director, Zimbabwe Women Writers
- Mr. Alson Mfiri - Executive Producer, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC)
- Mr. Andrew Mavise - Lecturer, Department of African Languages and Literature, University of Zimbabwe
ENGLISH CATEGORY:
- Mr. Isaac Machakanja - Head of English Department, Africa University
- Mrs. Ruby Magosvongwe - Lecturer, Department of English, University of Zimbabwe
- Mr. David Martin - Chairman, African Publishing Group
NDEBELE:
- Mr. Tomy Matshakaile-Ndlovu - Lecturer, Department of African Languages and Literature
- Mrs. Babra Nkala – Director, International Bible Society
- Dr. Zifike Mguni-Gambahaya – Lecturer, Department of Languages and Literature
Speaking at the launch of the initiative in July, executive director of the Zimbabwe book fair Samuel Matsangaise, said: "These are books which when a visitor asks for Zimbabwean Literature, we would want to refer to as the hallmark of Zimbabwean creativity,.
The project is being sponsored by the British High Commission, in partnership with the British Council, as they felt that Zimbabwe had produced a crop of writers who have made a name for themselves on the international literary scene but have never really been honoured for their work in a special way at home.
"The roll call of literary greats includes Dambudzo Marechera, Mordekai Hamutyinei, Herbert Chitepo, Charles Samupindi and Patrick Chakaipa, all of them now late," said a British High Commission spokesperson today. A good number of those alive today, he said, had won literary prizes and mention on the international scene and included Charles Mungoshi, Shimmer Chinodya, Chenjerai Hove, Yvonne Vera and Tsitsi Dangarembga.
