Controversies such as this are irresponsible. Who scripts such narratives, especially, while talking about the literary world and the achievements of writers/authors, poets have to be delved into further. It is not trivializing the accomplishments of an author, an individual, after all the recognition she has due to her work?
Here I am talking about the latest fiasco, where BBC (The British Broadcasting Corporation) anchor mentions the Booker winner Bernardine Evaristo as the ‘Other winner’, who shared the prize with Margaret Atwood, for her novel ‘Girl, Woman, Other‘, which is told mostly from the perspectives of 12 black women. I feel this speaks of a not any casual approach, but also denial. To understand the effort that the author puts in to write a novel, especially, a novel as this-
‘Teeming with life and crackling with energy — a love song to modern Britain and black womanhood Girl, Woman, Other follows the lives and struggles of twelve very different characters. Mostly women, black and British, they tell the stories of their families, friends and lovers, across the country and through the years.
Joyfully polyphonic and vibrantly contemporary, this is a gloriously new kind of history, a novel of our times: celebratory, ever-dynamic and utterly irresistible.’ (Taken from here).
Here’s wishing Bernadine Evaristo more power to continue with her amazing work. Let’s acknowledge her contribution to literature and literary criticisms. A winner is a winner and she shares the Booker Prize for her incredible book. I have provided a link to her personal website so you all can visit it to read about the amazing work she’s been doing. Congratulations on winning the Booker Prize for the novel, novel ‘Girl, Woman, Other’!
Amitav
Amitav Chowdhury 