Lit Whanganui Festival Lands Two Major Winners

Lit Whanganui is thrilled to announce that two major prizewinners from this week’s Ockham New Zealand Book Awards – Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku and Damien Wilkins – will be speaking at Whanganui’s booklovers’ festival which is set to run from 19-21 September.

Lit Whanganui chair Karen White says this is a major coup for the festival.

“We knew we were onto a good thing when we made our author selection and it is wonderful to have this confirmed with not one but two Ockham winners speaking at Whanganui’s booklovers’ festival this year.

“The Ockhams are New Zealand’s top book awards — the literary equivalent of the Oscars — so it’s a huge deal to have these two celebrated authors headlining our festival.”

White says this is just the beginning with a further eight acclaimed speakers who will be appearing at Lit Whanganui to be announced over several weeks in June, and the full programme of events released in July.

“We can assure you that we have some exciting surprises in store,” says White. “There’s a fantastic mix of voices and genres — something for every kind of booklover — as well as some interesting events in the pipeline.”

She says people can keep up-to-date with festival announcements by signing up for the Lit Whanganui e-newsletter at www.literaryfestival.co.nz and following Lit Whanganui on Facebook and Instagram.

“Out-of-towners take note, this is the perfect excuse to start planning a weekend escape to one of New Zealand’s most creative and culturally rich cities,” White says.

“With numerous literary festival events hosted at the iconic Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery, it’s also a great opportunity to explore this stunning gallery which has recently reopened after a major redevelopment and to soak up the charms of Whanganui’s heritage and cultural precinct with Whanganui Regional Museum nearby.”

Hine Toa by Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku

Curator, critic and activist Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku won the General Non-Fiction award for her captivating memoir, Hine Toa, published by HarperCollins.

“Remarkable. At once heartbreaking and triumphant.” – Patricia Grace

“Extraordinary, vivid, riveting. I learned, I laughed and I wept over this book.” – Dame Fiona Kidman

“Brilliant. This timely coming-of-age memoir by an iconic activist will rouse the rebel in us all. I loved it.” – Tina Makereti

Delirious by Damien Wilkins

Damien Wilkins, director of the International Institute of Modern Letters, won the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction for his novel about families and ageing, Delirious, published by Te Herenga Waka Press.

“A New Zealand novel of grace and humanity. How does Wilkins do it? These are flawed and immensely satisfying characters – you close your eyes at the faulty, circuitous routes they take. Delirious is a marvel of a book.’ – Witi Ihimaera

“Delirious by Damien Wilkins is a beautiful work of fiction and if it reduces you to tears then you will not be alone. . . . The book of the year is all heart.” – Steve Braunias, Newsroom

“Funny, sharp, sad and profound, Delirious made me laugh, think, weep and actually beat my breast. A masterpiece.” – Elizabeth Knox, The Conversation

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