Africa’s newest book prize is named after Andreé Blouin: who was she?: Andrée Blouin was a political activist and writer from the Central African Republic. Until recently, her name hardly ever appeared in the grand narratives of Africa’s liberation. When she died in 1986, her passing was hardly in the news – a stark contrast …
Booker prize: rediscovering the first female winner, the often-forgotten Bernice Rubens: One of the most captivating and enigmatic novelists of the 20th century, Bernice Rubens remains largely unknown despite her remarkable literary achievements. She was the second recipient of the Booker prize in 1970 for her novel The Elected Member and its first female winner. …
Booker prize 2023: why these shortlisted novels represent a ‘golden age’ of Irish writing: This year’s Booker prize shortlist is an exciting line up, melding established, prize-winning authors and debut writers. The 2023 shortlist contains two Irish authors – Paul Murray and Paul Lynch – and on the long list of 13 novels, Elaine Feeney’s …
Booker Prize 2023: the six shortlisted books reviewed by our experts: From a longlist of 12, six novels have been shortlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize. Our academics review the finalists ahead of the announcement of the winner on November 26. Western Lane by Chetna Maroo Chetna Maroo’s subtle novel follows a British Asian girl, …
Frankfurt book fair: cancelled prize ceremony for Palestinian author is part of a long history of political zigzagging: The Frankfurt Buchmesse, or book fair, is the world’s largest publishing industry gathering, attracting thousands of exhibitors every October. On one level, it’s a business event focused on creating buzz for forthcoming bestsellers, trading rights and discussing …
Caine Prize 2023: Senegalese writers win for fantasy-horror story about dangers facing girls: markups/Getty Images, CC BY-SA The influential Caine Prize for African Writing for 2023 was won by a power couple from Senegal. Their short story A Soul of Small Places (which can be read over here) echoes deeper trends in the country’s literature …
Nobel prize in economics: Claudia Goldin’s work is a goldmine for understanding the gender pay gap and women’s empowerment: Women stirred up a “quiet revolution” in the labour market, according to Claudia Goldin, the Henry Lee Professor of Economics at Harvard University. She is the 2023 winner of the Nobel prize in economics for her …
Nobel peace prize 2023: award for Iranian women’s rights protester highlights fight against declining democracy around the world: One hundred days after Iranians first protested the killing of 22-year-old Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini for wearing her hijab incorrectly, Narges Mohammadi sat down in her prison cell to write a letter to the country’s women. She …
Nobel peace prize: Narges Mohammadi wins on behalf of thousands of Iranian women struggling for human rights: Prominent Iranian women’s rights advocate Narges Mohammadi has won the 2023 Nobel peace prize for her long fight against the oppression of women in Iran. Mohammadi is serving multiple prison sentences in Evin prison in Tehran on charges …
Jon Fosse: Nobel prize in literature winner is a playwright who puts outsiders centre stage: When Jon Fosse receives this year’s Nobel prize in literature in December, it will be collected by a playwright and novelist whose work examines the lives of ordinary people on the outer reaches of society, trying to cope with the …
Nobel prize in chemistry awarded for ‘quantum dot’ technology that gave us today’s high definition TVs: The 2023 Nobel prize in chemistry has been awarded to a trio for the discovery and development of particles so tiny they were once thought too small to be possible. They are widely used in television screens, LED lights …
Nobel prize in physics awarded for work unveiling the secrets of electrons: Screenshot at Niklas Elmehed © Nobel Prize Outreach, CC BY-SA The 2023 Nobel prize in physics has been awarded to a trio of scientists for pioneering tools used to study the world of electrons. Electrons are sub-atomic particles that play a role in …
Nobel prize in medicine awarded to mRNA pioneers – here’s how their discovery was integral to COVID vaccine development: Billions of people around the world have received the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. The rapid development of these vaccines changed the course of the pandemic, providing protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. But these vaccines would …
International Booker Prize 2023: our experts review the six shortlisted books: From a longlist of 12, six novels have been shortlisted for the 2023 International Booker Prize. Our academics review the finalists ahead of the announcement of the winner on May 23. The Gospel According to the New World by Maryse Condé, translated by Richard …
Why the Turner Prize shortlist is a cultural barometer of our political times: Shortlisted artist Barbara Walker's work explores issues of racial identity and interrogates Britain's past. Arts Council Collection, Southbank Centre, London, CC BY-NC The UK’s biggest prize for contemporary art is back. The 2023 Turner Prize shortlist has been announced featuring British artists …
David Chipperfield: how the 2023 Pritzker prize winner creates buildings that last: The British architect David Chipperfield has been announced as the winner of the 2023 Pritzker Architecture Prize, arguably the highest international honour in the discipline. In its citation, the jury highlighted the elegance, restraint and permanence that have consistently characterised Chipperfield’s oeuvre, “an …
World Cup 2022: who won the prize for ‘soft power’?: After four weeks, 64 games and more than a decade of controversy, Argentina has won the Fifa men’s World Cup in Qatar. And as Lionel Messi and his teammates celebrate victory over France, another competition has also reached its conclusion – the battle for “soft …
Earthshot Prize: five winners that will help solve major environmental problems: Climate change is one of the greatest threats ever to face humanity. With mounting storms, fires, floods and droughts and the annual disappointment of international negotiations, it’s easy to despair about how bad the future climate will be. But exciting work is being done …