An interview with… Santiago Roncagliolo

Santiago Roncagliolo at the IFFP ceremonyHere is my interview with Santiago Roncagliolo for Booktrust:

In the busy hub of Foyle’s cafe, I meet the winner of this year’s Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, Santiago Roncagliolo. In spite of the building publicity surrounding the Prize over the past few weeks, it is unlikely that any of the other cafe goers would think twice to look at Roncagliolo. A Peruvian-born writer, he moved to Spain ten years ago and his political thriller Abril Rojo (Red April) was awarded the prestigious Spanish literary prize the Premio Alfaguara de Novela in 2006. However, until last Thursday, he has remained, relatively unknown elsewhere in Europe. Now at the age of just 36, he has triumphed once again and has become the youngest ever recipient of the IFFP for Red April.

Published on 31-05-11. Read on here

Spotlight on the Shortlist: Independent Foreign Fiction Prize 2011

Foyles tableHere is my latest blog for Booktrust:

Last night I attended a panel discussion on the six titles shortlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize. With news that volcanic ash had disrupted a number of flights across Europe, I was anxious to see whether any of the authors and translators would make it. Thankfully the books were well represented, with Peruvian writer Santiago Roncagliolo, Danish translator Charlotte Barslund, US-Turkish translator Maureen Freely and Irish translator Frank Wynne all speaking on behalf of their shortlist entries.

Published on 26-05-11. Read on here

Mexico’s drug war is a global crisis

Mexico guns

Here is my latest article published in Prospect:

On Sunday morning, 27 people were killed and beheaded in northern Guatemala following a raid on a dairy ranch in Caserio La Bomba. The incident has been described as the worst massacre in Guatemala for over 15 years. Amid growing suspicion that the attack may be linked to the rising presence of the Mexican Zeta drug cartel in Guatemala, the massacre may also point to the wider responsibilities of Mexico’s drug war.

Published on 19-05-11. Read on here

South Africa invited to form ‘BRICS’ Grouping

Here is my first short piece published on the news feed for IBA Global Insight:

Following its successful hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2010 last summer, South Africa has had much to celebrate. In December, the coveted BRIC group opened its doors to South Africa and invited the country to a meeting in Hainan in April. The decision has been met with some criticism, but the invitation to become the ‘S’ in ‘BRICS’ highlights the country’s growing importance on the world stage.

Published on 11-05-11. Read on here

Brazil stands up to its guns

Brazil-guns-218x300

Here is my first article published in Prospect:

On 7 April, 23-year-old Wellington Menezes de Oliveira entered a school in Rio de Janeiro brandishing a gun. He killed 12 students and injured more than 20 others before shooting himself. Although Brazil has become increasingly associated with violence and gun crime in recent years, this was the first time in the country’s history that a school has been the target of a shooting, drawing comparisons with the 1999 Columbine massacre.

Published on 06-05-11. Read on here

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