Gappah to quit law for writing

Bruce Ndlovu
Award winning Zimbabwean author Petina Gappah is set to quit her job as a lawyer in order to become a full time writer as her latest work of fiction, The Book of Memory continues to get international acclaim and accolades.

Gappah was this week announced as one of 20 women that are vying for the UKa��s highest prize in literature, The Baileya��s Womena��s Prize for Literature, which will see the winner walk away with A?30,000.

Gappah is the first ever Zimbabwean to be nominated for the honour in the awarda��s 20-year-old existence.

This is not the first time that Gappah has broken new ground for Zimbabwean authors on the world literary scene, having clinched the Guardian Fiction prize for literature in 2009 for her collection of short stories, An Elegy of Easterly.

Gappah was the second Zimbabwean after the late Dambudzo Marechera to scoop the prize, with the late eccentric Zimbabwean author having done so 30 years earlier with his highly regarded debut novel, House of Hunger.

Gappah disclosed to the UKa��s Independent that she would be concentrating on her writing full time as she would be quitting her job in June. She has worked in Geneva, Switzerland as a trade lawyer since 1999 on the back of law degrees from Cambridge, Graz University and the University of Zimbabwe.

a�?I always knew that eventually I would want to try the writing thing for a while and see how far I go. The Baileys Prize nomination is an affirmation to say Ia��m making the right decision,a�? she said.

Gappah also reiterated her pride at putting Zimbabwe on the world literary map.

a�?Ita��s a bit surreal. I am completely overwhelmed. To be the first Zimbabwean nominated for this award is incredible.

To be flying the flag makes me very proud,a�? she said.