Petina Gappah's An Elegy for Easterly, a story collection about her native Zimbabwe, won the 2009 Guardian First Book Award, which is open to first-time authors writing in English, across all genres. The Guardian's literary editor and chair of judges Claire Armitstead "said she was thrilled to name Gappah as winner, particularly since 2009 is the year of the short story. There had been some wonderful first books, she said, and "Petina Gappah's humane and disarmingly funny mosaic of life in Zimbabwe is undoubtedly one of the very best."
"When I was told, I think I laughed," said Gappah. "It was the last thing I expected. Did you read the books on the shortlist? I mean, seriously good. If I'd been judging the prize I certainly would not have chosen me."
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The following are the nominees for the 2010 Grammys in three spoken-word categories. The main ceremony takes place January 31.
Best Spoken Word Album
- Always Looking Up by Michael J. Fox (Hyperion Audio)
- Jonathan Winters--A Very Special Time by Jonathan Winters, with music by Verne Langdon and Skip Edwards (Dejavu Record Company/The Orchard)
- The Lincoln-Douglas Debates by Richard Dreyfuss and David Strathairn (BBC Audiobooks America)
- The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett, narrated by various artists, including Michael Madsen, Sandra Oh and Edward Herrmann (Blackstone Audio)
- We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land by Jimmy Carter (Simon & Schuster Audio)
- Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher (Simon & Schuster Audio)
Best Spoken-Word Album For Children
- Aaaaah! Spooky, Scary Stories & Songs by Buck Howdy (Prairie Dog Entertainment)
- Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford (Random House Audio/Listening Library)
- Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales by various artists (Hachette Audio)
- The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, narrated by David Hyde Pierce (Harper Children's Audio)
- Scat by Ed Asner (Random House Audio/Listening Library)
- Through The Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll, narrated by Harlan Ellison (Blackstone Audio)
Best Comedy Album
- Back From the Dead by Spinal Tap (The Label Industry/Artist2Market Distribution)
- A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! by Stephen Colbert (Comedy Central Records)
- Internet Leaks by "Weird Al" Yankovic (Volcano)
- My Weakness Is Strong by Patton Oswalt (Degenerate/Warner Bros.)
- Suckin' It for the Holidays by Kathy Griffin (Music With a Twist)
- Tall, Dark & Chicano by George Lopez (Comedy Central Records)