2012 Governor General Literary Award Winners
/The Canada Council funds and administers the GGs, the most significant literary award program in Canada, providing close to $450,000 in prize money. They are awarded in both English and French in seven categories: fiction, poetry, drama, non fiction, children‚s literature (text and illustration) and translation.
"The verdict is in, and it's another great year for Canadian literature," said Robert Sirman, Director and CEO of the Canada Council. "The winning titles offer a wealth of reading options for Canadians of all ages, and demonstrate once again that Canada punches beyond its weight in the literary arena."
Some highlights from this year's announcement:
- Ten out of 14 winners of the 2012 Governor General's Literary Awards are women;
- Nigel Spencer wins for the third time, each time for the translation of a book by Marie-Claire Blais;
- Normand Chaurette wins for the second year in a row, his fourth GG overall.
"Everyone involved in the creation of a book, including writers, illustrators, translators and publisher, has a story to tell," said His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada. "The Governor General's Literary Awards is not only a chance to honour our very best books, but it is also a chance to pay tribute to Canadians who are rising stars in the world of literature. I congratulate all the winners who have worked hard to add their tale to our collective memories."
Read the complete news release, including the names of the finalists, the book titles, and the peer assessment committees' citations for each work here or by copying and pasting the following URL into your web browser's address bar: http://canadacouncil.ca/news/releases/2012/dp129969644526078774.htm.
Check out the GG section of Canada Council's website for more information about this year's winners and the awards.
