Peter Harris’ IN A DIFFERENT TIME Wins the 2009 Booksellers’ Choice Award
August 19, 2009
Durban author Peter Harris has won the coveted Booksellers' Choice Award 2009 with his acclaimed book IN A DIFFERENT TIME. Simon Skinner, Sales Director of award sponsors' Nielsen Book,
announced the winner of this year's prize at the prestigious PASA and
SABA Conference dinner held in Durban, South Africa on August 18th, 2009.The award is judged by South African booksellers, who are given the opportunity to vote for the books that they most enjoyed reading, selling or promoting during the previous year.
The other five books on the shortlist were: On the Back Roads by Dana Snyman (Tafelberg), Zuma: A Biography by Jeremy Gordin (Jonathan Ball), Pirates of Polokwane by Zapiro (Jacana), Of Tricksters, Tyrants and Turncoats by Max Du Preez (Zebra Press), Mense van my asem deur Steve Hofmeyr (Zebra Press)
Published in 2008 by Random House Umuzi, IN A DIFFERENT TIME tells the story of four young South Africans who embark on a mission that will ultimately take them to Death Row. They are highly trained and experienced assassins and the narrative details their infiltration into the country, their operations, arrest and subsequent trial. The story is set in a South Africa gripped by unrest and political tension, when the ANC was in exile and repression at its height. The characters are linked by bizarre coincidence and tragedy in a true account narrated by their attorney.
Comments on the book from some of the judging booksellers reflect its strength: "An extraordinary and poignant true story. Exposes the dark history of South Africa and a determined fight for what we believe in"; "a wonderful slice of history; emotional read" and "an astonishing and important book, brilliantly written".
An important historical record, IN A DIFFERENT TIME is also a gripping story, which, as South African radio personality and book club queen Jenny Crwys-Williams says, 'reads like a John Grisham novel, but is all true.'' It was named Jenny & Co's Best Non-Fiction Book of the Year, and Best Book of the Year 2008.
IN A DIFFERENT TIME has also won the 2009 Sunday Times Alan Paton Award (to read more about it click here) and was shorlisted for the University of Johannesburg Prize
To read an extract from IN A DIFFERENT TIME click here.
Film rights have been sold to Two Oceans by Julian Friedmann, and Isobel Dixon of Blake Friedmann is representing worldwide rights, including translation, on Umuzi's behalf.
Click here for an interview with Peter Harris about writing the book.
Click here to visit Peter Harris' Umuzi author page.
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