British author Gwendoline Riley is among eight distinguished writers who will each receive $175,000 (£130,000) as part of this year’s Windham-Campbell Prizes, which honor their lifetime achievements.
Included in this esteemed group is Australian playwright S Shakthidharan, also known as Shakthi. The Windham-Campbell Prizes distribute a total of $1.4 million annually to authors across various genres, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama, with the intention of allowing them to concentrate on their creative endeavors without the burden of financial strain.
Riley is acclaimed for her collection of short novels that delve into complex relationships, family dynamics, and the inner experiences of women. Notable works include “First Love,” which was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, and “My Phantoms.” Expressing her gratitude, Riley remarked, “This is very hard for me to take in. I am more grateful than I can say. This unimagined vote of confidence will not go wasted on me.”
In a review of her latest book, “The Palm House,” Clare Clark highlighted Riley’s ability to redefine familiar experiences, transforming the seemingly mundane lives of her characters into something profound and innovative. She described Riley as a master of disconnection, blending dry humor with elements of despair.
Shakthidharan was acknowledged for his acclaimed 2019 multigenerational epic, “Counting and Cracking,” which reflects on his family’s narrative while chronicling the complex history of 20th-century Sri Lanka. This work garnered multiple prestigious awards in Australia, including the $100,000 Victorian Prize for Literature.
In the fiction category alongside Riley, American author Adam Ehrlich Sachs has been recognized for his “bravura exploration of the history of knowledge in all its absurdity, strangeness, and difficult beauty.” Sachs is known for his three publications: “Gretel and the Great War,” “The Organs of Sense,” and “Inherited Disorders.”
Lucy Sante, a Belgian-born American writer, has received the award in the nonfiction category for her forthcoming memoir, “I Heard Her Call My Name: A Memoir of Transition,” which recounts her journey of coming out and transitioning later in life. Jamaican poet and essayist Kei Miller is also honored for his nonfiction contributions, particularly the 2021 essay collection, “Things I Have Withheld.”
In the poetry category, American poet Joyelle McSweeney has been recognized for her body of work that engages with themes of nature, trauma, and resilience. Canadian poet Karen Solie has also received the poetry prize for her explorations of desire, loss, and environmental degradation.
Alongside Shakthidharan, American playwright Christina Anderson has been awarded for her dramatic works that, according to the judges, “explore the intersections of intimate and political histories to reinvigorate social drama.”
Michael Kelleher, director of the Windham-Campbell Prizes, noted that the “financial security” provided by the grants enables writers to have the “time, space, and creative freedom to think, write, and cultivate their talents,” especially as the arts sector faces unprecedented challenges.
Previous recipients of this prestigious award include notable figures such as Olivia Laing, Anne Enright, Tessa Hadley, Edmund de Waal, Hanif Abdurraqib, Percival Everett, Teju Cole, and Pankaj Mishra.
