John Eppel

John Eppel
Eppel in 2012
Born (1947-09-19) 19 September 1947 (age 79)
Lydenburg, South Africa
EducationMilton High School
University of Natal
OccupationsNovelist, poet, short story writer, teacher
Writing career
Period1965–present
GenresLiterary fiction, Satire, Humor
Notable workD G G Berry's The Great North Road
Notable awardsIngrid Jonker Prize
Movement
Post-colonialism

John Eppel (born 19 September 1947) is a Zimbabwean short story writer, novelist and poet. In 1990 he was awarded the Ingrid Jonker Prize for his poetry volume, "Spoils of War", detailing his experiences as a soldier in the Rhodesian Bush War.

Early life

John Eppel born in Lydenburg, South Africa. He moved to Colleen Bawn, a small mining town in the south of Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), at the age of four. He was educated at Milton High School in Bulawayo, and later attended the University of Natal in South Africa, where he completed his English master's degree in "A Study of Keatsian Dialectics".

Career

Eppel has published more than 20 books, one of which, The Giraffe Man, has been translated into French. He has crafted a creative writing course for the University of South Africa and published three O-Level and one A-Level literature study guides. He was awarded the Ingrid Jonker Prize for his first poetry volume, Spoils of War, and the MNet Prize in 1993 for his novel D G G Berry's the Great North Road. Eppel's second novel, Hatchings, was nominated for the MNet Prize in 1993/4.

His works are studied in universities across South Africa. He teaches English at Christian Brothers College, Bulawayo.

List of published books

Personal life

Eppel married at the age of 34 and has three children: Ben, Ruth and Joe. His ex-wife, Shari, is a poet and prominent human rights activist.

References

  1. ↑ Chennells, Anthony, 13. "White Rhodesian Poetry". Columbia University Press. 2007.
  2. ↑ "Michigan State University Press". Archived from the original on 10 May 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2007.
  3. ↑ "Indiana State University". Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Postcolonialweb". Retrieved 24 August 2007.