Cover Stories: The Commonwealth Writers' Prize; Alan Samson
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.* The Commonwealth Writers' Prize, in which winners from four regions go forward to a grand finale, has a tremendous knack of picking up tomorrow's classic novels quickly on its truly global radar - from A Suitable Boy to White Teeth. So watch out for the gifted Cumbrian-born newcomer Sarah Hall, not yet 30. After her victory in the Eurasia region, she has now won the overall prize for Best First Book with her fiercely lyrical Lake District tragedy Haweswater (Faber). The Best Book prize - awarded this year at the final judging sessions in Calgary, Canada - went to Barbados-born, Toronto-based Austin Clarke for his West Indian epic of slavery and its long legacy, The Polished Hoe.
* With the future of publisher Time Warner (formerly Little, Brown) still in the balance because of the mismanagement that surrounded the company's failed merger with AOL, it's no surprise that editorial director Alan Samson has succumbed to the blandishments of the Orion Group. Over many years, he has handled authors from Douglas Hurd and Edwina Currie to - Norma Major. (We won't mention Anthea Turner, shall we?) Samson will remain until August, by which time the future of Time Warner will be clear. Speculation as to the buyer currently centres on the Perseus Group. A takeover by Random House owner Bertelsmann, which ought to interest the DTI for monopoly reasons, would result in swingeing job cuts.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments