Terry Pratchett receives comic Wodehouse prize
BRITISH WRITER Terry Pratchett has won this year’s Wodehouse book prize for comic fiction for his novel Snuff.
Pratchett, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, has been nominated three times earlier for the prize as his novels Thief of Times (2002), Going Postal (2005) and Thud (2006) had made the earlier shortlists.
Keeping with the Wodehousian spirit, the winner is awarded with a case of Bollinger Champagne and collection of 70 novels by P.G. Wodehouse. Interestingly, the final part of the prize is that the winner will be honoured with the presentation of a locally-bred Gloucestershire Old Spot pig, which is then named after the title of the book.
In 2012, the pig will be named Snuff, after the title of Pratchett’s book.
In 2011, Indian journalist Manu Joseph’s debut novel Serious Men was shortlisted for the prize. However, the prize went to Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart.
Booker winner Ian McEwan’s Solar won the prize in 2010 and previous award-winners include Booker winners Howard Jacobson and DBC Pierre.
The judging panel for the prize was led by Hay Festival Peter Florence and broadcaster James Naughtie and Everyman’s Library publisher David Campbell were the other two judges. “I am thrilled Snuff won in this 25th anniversary year of the festival. He’s consistently funny, inventive and with an acute, satirical view of the world,” Florence said while announcing the prize. The other writers on shortlist included Sue Townsend for The Woman Who Went to Bed For a Year; John O’Farrell made the list for The Man Who Forgot His Wife; Julian Gough for Jude in London and John Lancaster for Capital.
The winner was announced on Wednesday.
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