Issue 60 - University of Surrey's Student Union

Lit Editor: Emily Smart | Copy Editor: Sophie Vickery
The Stag | 29 th May 2013
LITERATURE 23
Literature
Shortlisters for The Commonwealth Book Prize announced
By Rachel Burgess, Literature Team
The Commonwealth Book Prize is an
annual prize awarded to writers of
debut novels whose literary works
have sparked the attention of critics
and general readers alike. From
a nominated shortlist, this year’s
regional winners were announced
earlier this month and are listed
below:
Canada and Europe – The Death of Bees by
Lisa O’Donnell
Lisa O’Donnell is a writer from the United
Kingdom and has released her debut novel, The
Death of Bees in 2012. It tells the story of two
sisters who harbour a mysterious secret about
their missing parents. Helped out by a lonely
neighbour on their Glasgow estate, their lives
become complicated when they are pursued
by drug-dealers, social services and other nosy
neighbours.
Caribbean – Disposable People by Ezekel Alan
Ezekel Alan was born and raised in Jamaica and
his debut novel, Disposable People, is inspired by true
events. Set in the 1970s during Jamaica’s socialist
regime, the novel traces the life of Kenneth
Lovelace as he reflects upon past memories from
his new life in the USA. What ensues is a story of
mischief, adventures, sex, violence, and prejudice.
Pacific – The Last Thread by Michael Sala
Michael Sala is an Australian writer
who has previously published short fiction
stories which were shortlisted for the
Australian/Vogel Literary Award. Written as
an autobiographical fiction, The Last Thread
tells the story of Sala’s own life, detailing
his relationships with his adorable mother,
abusive stepfather and aloof older brother.
Africa – Sterile Sky by EE Sule
Dr Sule. E. Egya is an acclaimed
professor of English at Ibrahim Badamasi
Babangida University in Nigeria. Sterile Sky
charts protagonist Murtala as he comes
of age in Kano, amidst violent riots and
family upsets. The novel gives a unique
insight into modern life in northern
Nigeria.
The overall
winner of the
Commonwealth
Book Prize will
be announced
on the 31st May
2013.
Asia – Island of a Thousand Mirrors by Nayomi Munaweera
Published in 2012, Island of a Thousand Mirrors is written by Sri Lankan author and artist, Nayomi Munaweera. An instant commercial
success, it follows the fate of two families on opposite sides of the Sri Lankan civil war. The narrative is split into two halves, each told
by the eldest daughter of each family, exploring how they negotiate war, exile, love and belonging.
Escape from Camp 14
By Ankur Banerjee, Literature Team
When my friend Alexandra Wilks
gifted me Escape From Camp
14 - a book on North Korea - I couldn’t
control my excitement to the extent
that I found it hard to hold the book
open because my hands were shaking
so much. Those who know me will be
aware that I have a huge obsession with
North Korea. The country is almost
cartoonishly evil; from thinking that
breeding giant rabbits would be a
solution to its famine problem, to a
brother of Kim Jong-Il being disowned
by his family after trying to sneak into
Japan to visit Tokyo Disneyland under
a fake Dominican Republic passport
where his name is translated to “fat
bear”. Much of the aura around North
Korea comes from its relative isolation
from the world at large.
Escape From Camp 14 is the real-life
story of Shin Dong-hyuk, the only person
born in a North Korean slave labour camp to
successfully escape. Written as a biography
based on Shin’s account by Washington Post
journalist Blaine Harden, it tells how North
Korea’s policy of subjecting “traitors” to three
generations of hard labour is used as a means
of suppressing political dissent. Growing up in
such an environment, Shin hasn’t experienced
human emotions, such as empathy or love, to
the point that he ratted out his own mother
and brother for execution in the hopes of
getting more food. The narrative then follows
Shin as he learns about human trust and
trickery, eventually making his escape out of
the camp on foot, crossing over into China.
To his credit, Harden reviews all
information objectively, often fact-checking
with external sources on the veracity of
Shin’s story, as well as giving background
information wherever necessary, drawing on
his experience as a correspondent covering
East Asian foreign policy affairs. It’s an utterly
bleak book that gives an insight into the kind
of cruelty that goes on in slave labour camps
and for the populace in general, made better
by Harden’s narrative technique.
Your summer reading list sorted
By Alexandra Wilks, Editor
Summer is all about travel, but as a
student that can be more of a dream
than a reality. Let these great books
transport you to another place.
1) The Beach by Alex Garland
OK so you’ve probably seen the film, Leonardo
Di Caprio looks smouldering and sexy and
adorable for a whole hour and a half. It’s
wonderful. The film is really good, but the
book is even better. The ending adds a much
bigger punch as well!
2) Are You Experienced? by William Sutcliffe
The hilarious story of Dave who travels to
India during his Gap Year because he wants
to sleep with Liz. Unfortunately, it turns out
he hates India, and Liz. The best book to read
when you’re stuck in England wishing you
weren’t!
3) On The Road by Jack Kerouac
The ultimate ode to travelling, and it’s
practically a hipster rite of passage to be
able to quote reams of this text extensively,
“There was nowhere to go but everywhere, so
just keep on rolling under the stars.”
4) The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
Not only is this the perfect time to read
this treat of a novel as the most hyped Baz
Luhrmann film is coming out very soon, but
this book is all about one summer in 1922 on
the fictional town of West Egg on affluent
Long Island. An exquisite book that will stay
with you forever.
5) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter
S Thompson
Another book to read and feel cool about. If
your summer sucks, read about someone else
taking a lot of drugs in America.
6) Down and Out in Paris and London by
George Orwell
This book is proof that someone is always
having a worse time than you. Orwell’s
memoir of poverty in two of the most affluent
cities makes shocking reading.
7) The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
This is one of those books that everyone really
likes and I think is totally lame. Either way,
it’s apparently ‘moving’ and ‘uplifting’. A man
travels around searching for something only
to find that it’s not about finding anything,
it’s about what you left behind or whatever. I
don’t know. Maybe you’ll like it.
8) Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Not strictly a travel novel, but you will feel like
you’ve travelled after reading it. A fascinating
novel about the life of a Japanese Geisha in the
1940s.
9) My Vintage Summer by Jane Elmor
Another trendy novel about being a punk in
the 1970s. Full of music and vintage clothes.
It also appears to be summer throughout the
entire 400 page novel.