Today, on the ninth anniversary of André Brink’s death, we pay tribute to his life and work and announce that the Philida Literary Award, established in his memory in 2020, goes to Penny Haw and is awarded to her for an oeuvre of literary excellence.
Penny Haw worked as a journalist and columnist for more than three decades, writing for many leading South African newspapers and magazines before yielding to a lifelong yearning to create fiction. Her stories feature remarkable women, illustrate her love for nature, and explore the interconnectedness of all living things. Her first title, Nicko: The Tale of a Vervet Monkey on an African Farm, was a children’s book and was published in 2017. Her first novel for adults, The Wilderness Between Us, was published by Köehler Books in the US in 2021. A year later, she published The Invincible Miss Cust, her debut historical fiction, which she followed with another historical novel, The Woman at the Wheel, in 2023 (both published in the US by Sourcebooks). She lives near Cape Town with her husband and three dogs, all of whom are well-walked.
Penny Haw on accepting the Philida Literary Award: “I am in tears! Thank you. This is such an honour and I’m finding it difficult to express myself. Gobsmacked. Grateful. Overwhelmed. It means so, so much to me and I feel so privileged to accept it. Oh wow! André taught me Afrikaans in my first year of university at Rhodes (1982). It was a life-changing year for me. One of the bright spots was being taught by him. I wish I had had the chance to tell him that. Somehow this award closes a circle for me. Thank you.”
2017 Nicko: The Tale of a Vervet Monkey on an African Farm
2021 The Wilderness Between Us
Congratulations, Penny!
Philida Literary Award 