John Eppel
Born in South Africa in 1947, John Eppel was raised in Zimbabwe, where he still lives, making his home in Bulawayo near the Matobo Hills. He teaches English at Christian Brothers College. He has three children. His first novel, DGG Berry’s The Great North Road, won the M-Net prize in South Africa and was listed in the Weekly Mail and Guardian as one of the best 20 South African books in English published between 1948 and 1994. His second novel, Hatchings, was short-listed for the M-Net prize and was chosen for the series in the Times Literary Supplement of the most significant books to have come out of Africa. His other novels include The Giraffe Man, The Curse of the Ripe Tomato, The Holy Innocents, and Absent: The English Teacher. His book of poems: Spoils of War, won the Ingrid Jonker Prize. His other poetry books include Sonata for Matabeleland, Selected Poems: 1965 – 1995, and Songs My Country Taught Me.
In addition he has written two books, which combine poems and short stories: The Caruso of Colleen Bawn, and White Man Crawling. In progress is a book with Julius Chingono, entitled Together, and containing poems and short stories by both writers. He has 6 poems in the Penguin Book of South African Poetry series.