| Petina Gappah | |
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| Born | Zimbabwe |
| Occupation | Legal counsel |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | Zimbabwean |
| Alma mater | University of Zimbabwe University of Cambridge University of Graz |
| Notable work(s) | An Elegy for Easterly |
| Notable award(s) | Guardian First Book Award |
| Children | 1 son |
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www.petinagappah.com |
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Petina Gappah, born 1971, is a Zimbabwean writer. She writes in English, though she also draws on Shona, her first language.[1]
Gappah's first book, An Elegy for Easterly, a story collection, was shortlisted for the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award, the richest prize for the short story form.[2] The book has been described as "a collection of stories about every layer of Zimbabwean culture: from the educated and the elite to the quirky, the completely mad and the children running in the street."[3] The book was published by Faber and Faber in April 2009 in the United Kingdom and in June 2009 in the United States.
Gappah has law degrees from the University of Zimbabwe, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Graz. She lives in Geneva where she works as a lawyer.