2013 City of Vancouver Book Award Shortlist
/A memoir, two books of poetry and two non-fiction works, all of which reflect Vancouver’s rich history and culture, have been selected as finalists for the 2013 City of Vancouver Book Award.
The 25th annual City of Vancouver Book Award will be presented at the Mayor’s Arts Awards Gala at TELUS World of Science on November 22.
Finalists
- Jancis M. Andrews for The Ballad of Mrs. Smith, a collection of poems which gives a startlingly fresh take on an ageless story of a fall from grace and redemption.
- Brad Cran for Ink on Paper, a collection of poetry from the City’s former Poet Laureate. The sometimes funny and other times deeply affecting poems highlight powerful verse and stories that makes us more aware of often marginalized people.
- Amber Dawn for How Poetry Saved My Life, a memoir of her time as a sex trade worker. This honest and brave book incorporates her personal and poignant revelations, narrative and poetry to hold a fractured mirror up to our city.
- Harold Kalman and Robin Ward for Exploring Vancouver – The Architectural Guide. This beautiful and highly useful book of photographs and text provides an extensive tour of the city’s past and present buildings and demonstrates how the city’s natural setting inspired a quintessential West Coast style.
- Sean Kheraj for Inventing Stanley Park, an environmental history that provides a fascinating, nuanced and often surprising look at Vancouver’s iconic park with beautiful illustrations and textual details.
The five shortlisted titles were chosen by an independent jury that included: Elee Kraljii Gardener, an award-winning poet and director of the Thursdays Writing Collective; Paul Whitney, a retired City librarian; and Andrea Davies, owner of Hager Books in Kerrisdale.
