Giller Awards
#FIRSTLOOK: 2023 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED
Today, the Scotiabank Giller Prize shortlist was announced, celebrating five Canadian fiction writers and the 30th anniversary of the Prize. Elamin Abdelmahmoud of CBC Radio announced the finalists in Toronto.
The authors on the 2023 Scotiabank Giller Prize shortlist are:
Sarah Bernstein for her novel Study For Obedience, published by Knopf Canada
Eleanor Catton for her novel Birnam Wood, published by McClelland & Stewart
Kevin Chong for his novel The Double Life of Benson Yu, published by Simon & Schuster
Dionne Irving for her short story collection, The Islands: Stories, published by Catapult Press
CS Richardson for his novel All The Colour in the World, published by Knopf Canada
This year’s jury, made up of Canadian authors Ian Williams (jury chair), Sharon Bala and Brian Thomas Isaac, and American author Rebecca Makkai and Indian-British writer, Neel Mukherjee, narrowed down the 145 submitted works to five to create this year’s shortlisted authors.
Read the jury citations about each of the shortlisted authors.
The Scotiabank Giller Prize winner will be announced live on CBC at an event hosted by the incomparable Rick Mercer on November 13, 2023 at 9 p.m. ET. The broadcast will be presented commercial-free courtesy of Scotia Wealth Management. CBC Gem will stream the ceremony, with a livestream also available on cbcbooks.ca/gillerprize. Listeners can tune in to the broadcast special on CBC Radio One and CBC Listen.
The 2023 Scotiabank Giller Prize shortlisted books are available in accessible format for print-disabled Canadians through the National Network for Equitable Library Services (NNELS) and the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA).
Quotes
“These five authors offered up hypnotic, mesmerizing stories to this year’s jury. Each one rare, each one unique. The jury agonized over the final five books, arguing passionately and forcefully for their choices. The list and the authors they ultimately arrived at showcases the depth and breadth of Canadian literature. Congratulations to all.”
- Elana Rabinovitch, Executive Director, Scotiabank Giller Prize
“Congratulations to the authors named to the 2023 Scotiabank Giller Prize shortlist. This group of authors have created timeless stories and I am certain their celebrated works will be fixtures on bookshelves for years to come. At Scotiabank, we are proud of our longstanding partnership with the Giller Foundation. It is an honour to support diverse Canadian storytellers from coast-to-coast-to-coast and we look forward to celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Prize through the Between the Pages tour and winner’s gala this fall.”
- Laura Curtis Ferrera, Chief Marketing Officer, Scotiabank
Between the Pages: An Evening with the Scotiabank Giller Prize Finalists will take you inside the minds and creative lives of the writers on the 2023 shortlist. All venues are wheelchair accessible. The authors’ travel for the tour has been generously provided by The Azrieli Foundation.
Vancouver – October 16
Ottawa – October 18
Halifax – November 2
Toronto – November 7
For more information, please visit: scotiabankgillerprize.ca/btp.
About the Prize
Founded by Jack Rabinovitch in 1994, the Giller Prize is Canada’s leading and most influential literary prize for fiction. The Giller Effect has been recognized industry-wide as one of the top drivers of book sales in Canada. Scotiabank has been title sponsor since 2005. The Scotiabank Giller Prize now awards $100,000 annually to the author of the best Canadian novel, graphic novel or short story collection published in English, and $10,000 to each of the finalists. The award is named in honour of Jack Rabinovitch’s wife, the late literary journalist, Doris Giller.
About Scotiabank
Scotiabank is a leading bank in the Americas. Guided by our purpose: “for every future”, we help our customers, their families and their communities achieve success through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of over 90,000 employees and assets of approximately $1.4 trillion (as at July 31, 2023), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BNS) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit http://www.scotiabank.com and follow us on X @Scotiabank.
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
About The Azrieli Foundation
With a firm belief that everyone has a contribution to make, the Azrieli Foundation has been opening doors, breaking ground, and nurturing networks for more than 30 years. The Foundation – the largest non-corporate foundation in Canada – funds institutions and operates programs in Canada and Israel. For more information, please visit azrielifoundation.org.
#FIRSTLOOK: 2023 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE LONGLIST ANNOUNCED
Twelve outstanding Canadian authors have been named to the 2023 Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist. Kicking off the 30th anniversary of the Scotiabank Giller Prize, last year’s winner Suzette Mayr, announced the longlist today in St. John’s to a crowd of booklovers, authors, and publishers.
The 12 titles were chosen from 145 books submitted by publishers across Canada, an all-time record number of submissions.
The longlist for the 2023 Scotiabank Giller Prize is:
David Bergen for his novel Away From the Dead, published by Goose Lane Editions
Sarah Bernstein for her novel Study For Obedience, published by Knopf Canada
Eleanor Catton for her novel Birnam Wood, published by McClelland & Stewart
Kevin Chong for his novel The Double Life of Benson Yu, published by Simon & Schuster
Nina Dunic for her novel The Clarion, published by Invisible Publishing
Erum Shazia Hasan for her novel We Meant Well, published by ECW Press
Dionne Irving for her short story collection, The Islands: Stories, published by Catapult Press
Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer for her novel Wait Softly Brother, published by Wolsak & Wynn
Menaka Raman-Wilms for her novel The Rooftop Garden, published by Nightwood Editions
CS Richardson for his novel All The Colour in the World, published by Knopf Canada
Kasia Van Schaik for her short story collection We Have Never Lived on Earth, published by The University of Alberta Press
Deborah Willis for her novel Girlfriend on Mars, published by Hamish Hamilton
The longlist was selected by an esteemed panel of five judges: Canadian authors Ian Williams (jury chair, 2019 Scotiabank Giller Prize winner), Sharon Bala, Brian Thomas Isaac, American
author Rebecca Makkai and British-Indian writer Neel Mukherjee.
Each judge was given access to a complimentary Audible.ca account, providing an opportunity to listen to the submissions that were available on Audible’s service. Kobo provided the jury
with Kobo Sage devices to aid them on their reading journey.
Of the longlist, the jury wrote:
“The 2023 Scotiabank Giller longlist features a party of Canadian literature! Short story collections mingle with novels, established writers with emerging ones. Writers from various parts of the country and beyond its borders share the list together. They discuss family, friendships, the climate crisis, war, privilege, good intentions. Neat, quiet, intimate, introverted stories of relationships brush against loud messy globetrotting stories. These books made the jury think about them long afterward; sometimes they haunted us, sometimes they were like earworms we couldn’t stop singing. Stylistically, they dressed up, they stripped down. They were drunk with life, they were sobering. They pushed pleasure on us even while they occasionally provoked and puzzled us. This longlist is unafraid of being censored or misunderstood. The writers ask for our patience and sophistication; they stand up against all threats, AI included, and remind us of the unmatchable power of the human imagination.”
Quotes
“The jury read thoughtfully with full hearts and tremendous engagement to create this year’s longlist of 12 authors. They consumed 145 books, wading through different worlds, voices and generations and decided these books and these writers worthy of the highest recognition and recommendation. I thank them for a difficult job exceedingly well done and offer the finalists my heartiest congratulations.”
- Elana Rabinovitch, Executive Director, Scotiabank Giller Prize
“On the 30th anniversary of the Scotiabank Giller Prize, Scotiabank is proud to celebrate Canada’s best and most exciting storytellers who open our minds and captivate our imagination
with their inspiring work. Congratulations to such an outstanding and diverse group of Canadian authors.”
- Laura Curtis Ferrera, Chief Marketing Officer, Scotiabank
Visit the Scotiabank Giller Prize’s Facebook and YouTube channels to watch a replay of the longlist announcement.
The Scotiabank Giller Prize shortlist will be announced on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. ET. Watch the live stream on Facebook.
To receive updates from the Scotiabank Giller Prize, please subscribe to the newsletter.
Between the Pages: An Evening with the Scotiabank Giller Prize Finalists will take you inside the minds and creative lives of the writers on the 2023 shortlist. All venues are wheelchair accessible. Travel for the BTP tour has been generously provided by The Azrieli Foundation.
Vancouver – October 16
Ottawa – October 18
Halifax – November 2
Toronto – November 7
For more information, please visit: scotiabankgillerprize.ca/btp.
Watch the 2023 Scotiabank Giller Prize broadcast on Monday, November 13 at 9 p.m. ET (11:30 p.m. AT, 12 a.m. NT) on CBC TV and the free CBC Gem streaming service, with a livestream also available on cbcbooks.ca/gillerprize. Listeners can tune into a broadcast special on CBC Radio One and CBC Listen. The host will be revealed at the shortlist announcement on October 11, 2023.
About the Prize
Founded by Jack Rabinovitch in 1994, the Giller Prize is Canada’s leading and most influential literary prize for fiction. The Giller Effect has been recognized industry-wide as one of the top drivers of book sales in Canada. Scotiabank has been title sponsor since 2005. The Scotiabank Giller Prize now awards $100,000 annually to the author of the best Canadian novel, graphic novel or short story collection published in English, and $10,000 to each of the finalists. The award is named in honour of Jack Rabinovitch’s wife, the late literary journalist, Doris Giller.
About Scotiabank
Scotiabank is a leading bank in the Americas. Guided by our purpose: “for every future”, we help our customers, their families and their communities achieve success through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of over 90,000 employees and assets of approximately $1.4 trillion (as at July 31, 2023), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BNS) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit http://www.scotiabank.com and follow us on X @Scotiabank.
#GILLERPRIZE: SUZETTE MAYR WINS TOP HONOURS AT THE 2022 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE
Suzette Mayr has been named the winner of the 2022 Scotiabank Giller Prize for her novel, The Sleeping Car Porter, published by Coach House Books, taking home $100,000 courtesy of Scotiabank.
The announcement was made at a black-tie dinner and award ceremony hosted by poet, artist and performer Rupi Kaur and award-winning actress and producer Sarah Gadon, attended by over 300 guests. The gala was broadcast live commercial-free presented by Scotia Wealth Management on CBC, CBC Radio One, and streamed live on CBCBooks.ca.
This year, the Prize celebrates its 29th anniversary.
The remaining finalists, listed below, will each receive $10,000:
Kim Fu for her short story collection, Lesser-Known Monsters of the 21st Century, published by Coach House Books
Rawi Hage for his short story collection, Stray Dogs, published by Knopf Canada
Tsering Yangzom Lama for her novel, We Measure the Earth With Our Bodies, published by McClelland & Stewart
Noor Naga for her novel, If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English, published by Graywolf Press
The longlist, shortlist, and winner of the 2022 Scotiabank Giller Prize were selected by an esteemed five-member jury panel: Canadian authors Kaie Kellough, Casey Plett (Jury Chair), and Waubgeshig Rice, joined by American authors Katie Kitamura and Scott Spencer. On September 6, the jury narrowed down the 138 submitted works to 14 to create the longlist. The shortlist of five was selected on September 27. And just this very morning, the jury met to choose tonight’s winner.
Of the winning book, the jury wrote:
“Suzette Mayr brings to life –believably, achingly, thrillingly –a whole world contained in a passenger train moving across the Canadian vastness, nearly one hundred years ago. As only occurs in the finest historical novels, every page in The Sleeping Car Porter feels alive and immediate –and eerily contemporary. The sleeping car porter in this sleek, stylish novel is named R.T. Baxter –called George by the people upon whom he waits, as is every other Black porter. Baxter’s dream of one day going to school to learn dentistry coexists with his secret life as a gay man, and in Mayr’s triumphant novel we follow him not only from Montreal to Calgary, but into and out of the lives of an indelibly etched cast of supporting characters, and, finally, into a beautifully rendered radiance.”
Suzette Mayr is the author of the novels Dr. Edith Vane and the Hares of Crawley Hall, Monoceros, Moon Honey, The Widows, and Venous Hum. The Widows was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best Book in the Canada-Caribbean region, and has been translated into German. Moon Honey was shortlisted for the Writers’ Guild of Alberta’s Best First Book and Best Novel Awards. Monoceros won the ReLit Award, the City of Calgary W. O. Mitchell Book Prize, was longlisted for the 2011 Giller Prize, and shortlisted for a Ferro-Grumley Award for LGBT Fiction, and the Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction. She and her partner live in a house in Calgary close to a park teeming with coyotes.
Listen to CBC Radio’s q tomorrow for an interview with Suzette Mayr and relive the gala at CBCBooks.ca.
Ask the author your questions about her book during a live Twitter chat hosted by @GillerPrize on Thursday, November 10, at 2 p.m. ET using the hashtag #GillerWinner.
More here at www.scotiabankgillerprize.ca.
#GILLERAWARDS: OMAR EL AKKAD’S “WHAT STRANGE PARADISE” AWARDED 2021 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE
Canada’s greatest in the literary world were honoured tonight in Toronto at newly-reopened Park Hyatt Hotel at the 2021 Scotiabank Giller Awards. The Awards recognize accomplishments of Canadian Authors domestically and abroad. The Gala was hosted by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Kim’s Convenience) and Canadian Poet Rupi Kaur.
Winning top honours for the 2021 Scotiabank Giller Prize (worth $100k) was Author and Journalist Omar El Akkad for his novel, WHAT STRANGE PARADISE. The Book, published by Random House Canada, centers on a young Syrian boy named Amir rescued after his sunken dilapidated ship containing several people escaping their homelands, by a teenage girl named Vänna. The girl is determined to save the boy despite them not speaking a common language.
Those also named on the shortlist this year included:
- Angélique Lalonde for her story collection Glorious Frazzled Beings, published by House of Anansi
- Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia for her novel The Son of The House, published by Dundurn Press
- Jordan Tannahill for his novel The Listeners, published by HarperCollins Canada
- Miriam Toews for her novel Fight Night, published by Knopf Canada, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada
This year’s jury included Canadian authors Zalika Reid-Benta (Jury Chair), Megan Gail Coles and Joshua Whitehead, Malaysian novelist Tash Aw and American author Joshua Ferris.
Others in attendance tonight included the likes of :
MARGARET ATWOOD | THE HONOURABLE LISA MACLEOD
THE HONOURABLE BOB RAE | ALLAN HAWCO
TAMARA JEM | RICK MERCER | ANDREW PYPER | LILY CHU | CHARLIE FORAN | CATHERINE HERNANDEZ | BILAL BAIG | SOUVANKHAM THAMMAVONGSATANYA TALAGA | IAN WILLIAMS
Some snaps of the event below:
More on the Awards here. Missed the Awards? You can stream them on CBC Gem.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
For advertising opportunites please contact mrwill@mrwillwong.com