Patricia Schonstein facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patricia Schonstein
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| Born |
Patricia Schonstein
12 March 1952 Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)
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| Occupation | Author |
| Spouse(s) | Don Pinnock |
| Awards | Prix du Marais 2005, Percy FitzPatrick Award 2002 |
Patricia Schonstein (born 1952) is a well-known South African-Italian writer. She also writes under the name Patricia Schonstein-Pinnock. She creates many types of books, including novels, poems, and stories for children. She also puts together collections of writings by different authors.
Patricia Schonstein is famous for her novels like Skyline and A Time of Angels. Her stories often mix real-life events with elements of magic, which is called magical realism.
Her books often share her own experiences growing up in Central Africa. They also touch on important historical events. These include the Inquisition (a historical period of religious trials), the Holocaust (a terrible time during World War II), the Rhodesian War, and apartheid (a system of unfair separation in South Africa).
She writes to honor children who have suffered in wars in Africa. She also writes about people who have had to leave their homes as refugees. Her stories blend tough realities with myths and magic. Her work has been translated into many languages around the world.
Contents
About Patricia Schonstein
Patricia Schonstein was born and grew up in Southern Rhodesia. This country is now known as Zimbabwe. Today, she lives in South Africa and works full-time as a writer. She is from a Jewish family.
Her Writing Journey
Patricia Schonstein earned a special degree in creative writing. She studied at the University of Cape Town. Her teacher was J. M. Coetzee, who won a Nobel Prize for Literature. He has praised many of her books. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who won a Nobel Peace Prize, has also praised her poetry.
Patricia Schonstein helps with the Poetry in McGregor committee. This group supports poetry. She also gives out an award each year called the Patricia Schonstein – Poetry in McGregor Award.
Awards She Has Won
- Her first novel, Skyline, won the French Prix du Marais in 2005. It also won the Percy FitzPatrick Award in 2002. It was a runner-up for the South African Sunday Times Fiction Award in 2001.
- Her book A Time of Angels was a runner-up for the South African Sunday Times Fiction Award in 2004.
- Banquet at Brabazan was chosen as a top book for the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize Africa Best Book in 2011.
- Patricia Schonstein won the Young Africa Award for Short Stories in 1997.
Her Books
Novels for Young Readers
- Skyline, 2000
- A Time of Angels, 2003
- The Apothecary's Daughter, 2004
- A Quilt of Dreams, 2006
- The Master's Ruse, 2008
- Banquet at Brabazan, 2010
- The Inn at Helsvlakte, 2020
Books for Children
- Sing, Africa! Poems and Song for Young Children, 1990
- Thobileʼs dream, 1991
- Thobile and the Tortoises, 1992
- The King Who Loved Birds, 1992
- Ouma's Autumn, 1993
- Saturday in Africa : Living History Through Poetry, 1996
- Maggie, Mango & Scottie – An Adventure in Africa, 2016
- The Phoebe Book of Poems for Children, 2022
Poetry Collections
- A Gathering of Madonnas, and Other Poems, 2001
- The Unknown Child: Poems of War, Loss and Longing, 2009
Fables
- The Naming of He-Who-Has-No-Name, 2023
Non-fiction Books
- Xhosa: a Cultural Grammar for Beginners, 1994
- Thrown Among the Bones—My Life in Fiction, 2022
- Ways of Living: Some Gathered Insights, 2024
Books She Has Curated
Patricia Schonstein has also put together many collections of poems and stories. These are called anthologies.
- Africa! My Africa! An Anthology of Poems, 2012
- Africa Ablaze! Poems & Prose Pieces of War & Civil Conflict, 2013
- Heart of Africa! Poems of Love, Loss and Longing, 2014
- Absolute Africa! An anthology of poems, 2018
- Naturally Africa! An anthology of earth poems, 2019 (with Dan Wylie)
- She has also curated many anthologies for the McGregor Poetry Festival from 2013 to 2023.
See also
In Spanish: Patricia Schonstein para niños
