The Governor General's Award for English-language fiction is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a fiction book written in English.[1] It is one of fourteen Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, seven each for creators of English- and French-language books. The awards was created by the Canadian Authors Association in partnership with Lord Tweedsmuir in 1936. In 1959, the award became part of the Governor General's Awards program at the Canada Council for the Arts in 1959.[1] The age requirement is 18 and up.
The program was created in 1937 by the Canadian Authors Association and inaugurated that November for 1936 publications in two English-language categories, conventionally called the 1936 Governor General's Awards.[1] Administration of the awards was transferred to the Canada Council in 1959.[1]
The winners alone were announced until 1979, when Canada Council released in advance a shortlist of three nominees. Omitted only for 1981, the advance shortlist has numbered three to six; from 1997, always five.
Winners and nominees
edit1930s
editYear | Author | Title | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
1936 | Bertram Brooker | Think of the Earth | [2] |
1937 | Laura G. Salverson | The Dark Weaver | [3] |
1938 | Gwethalyn Graham | Swiss Sonata | [4] |
1939 | Franklin D. McDowell | The Champlain Road | [5] |
1940s
editYear | Author | Title | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
1940 | Ringuet | Thirty Acres | [6] |
1941 | Alan Sullivan | Three Came to Ville Marie | [7] |
1942 | G. Herbert Sallans | Little Man | [8] |
1943 | Thomas H. Raddall | The Pied Piper of Dipper Creek | [9] |
1944 | Gwethalyn Graham | Earth and High Heaven | [10] |
1945 | Hugh MacLennan | Two Solitudes | [11] |
1946 | Winifred Bambrick | Continental Revue | [12] |
1947 | Gabrielle Roy | The Tin Flute | [13] |
1948 | Hugh MacLennan | The Precipice | [14] |
1949 | Philip Child | Mr. Ames Against Time | [15] |
1950s
editYear | Author | Title | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
1950 | Germaine Guèvremont | The Outlander | [16] |
1951 | Morley Callaghan | The Loved and the Lost | [17] |
1952 | David Walker | The Pillar | [18] |
1953 | David Walker | Digby | [19] |
1954 | Igor Gouzenko | The Fall of a Titan | [20] |
1955 | Lionel Shapiro | The Sixth of June | [21] |
1956 | Adele Wiseman | The Sacrifice | [22] |
1957 | Gabrielle Roy | Street of Riches | [23] |
1958 | Colin McDougall | Execution | [24] |
1959 | Hugh MacLennan | The Watch That Ends the Night | [25] |
1960s
editYear | Author | Title | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
1960 | Brian Moore | The Luck of Ginger Coffey | [26] |
1961 | Malcolm Lowry | Hear Us O Lord from Heaven Thy Dwelling Place | [27] |
1962 | Kildare Dobbs | Running to Paradise | [28] |
1963 | Hugh Garner | Hugh Garner's Best Stories | [29] |
1964 | Douglas LePan | The Deserter | [30] |
1965 | No award presented | [31] | |
1966 | Margaret Laurence | A Jest of God | [32] |
1967 | No award presented | [33] | |
1968 | Alice Munro | Dance of the Happy Shades | [34] |
Mordecai Richler | Cocksure | ||
1969 | Robert Kroetsch | The Studhorse Man | [35] |
1970s
editYear | Author | Title | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
1970 | Dave Godfrey | The New Ancestors | [36] |
1971 | Mordecai Richler | St. Urbain's Horseman | [37] |
1972 | Robertson Davies | The Manticore | [38] |
1973 | Rudy Wiebe | The Temptations of Big Bear | [39] |
1974 | Margaret Laurence | The Diviners | [40] |
1975 | Brian Moore | The Great Victorian Collection | [41] |
1976 | Marian Engel | Bear | [42] |
1977 | Timothy Findley | The Wars | [43] |
1978 | Alice Munro | Who Do You Think You Are? | [44] |
1979 | Jack Hodgins | The Resurrection of Joseph Bourne | [45] |
Margaret Atwood | Life Before Man | [46] | |
Matt Cohen | The Sweet Second Summer of Kitty Malone |
1980s
edit1990s
edit2000s
edit2010s
edit2020s
editMultiple Winners
edit3 Awards
- Hugh MacLennan (1945, 1948, 1959)
- Alice Munro (1968 (tied), 1978, 1986)
- Guy Vanderhaeghe (1982, 1996, 2015) no other nominations
- Michael Ondaatje (1992, 2000, 2007)
2 Awards
- Gwethalyn Graham (1938, 1944)
- Gabrielle Roy (1947, 1957)
- David Walker (1952, 1953) only back-to-back winner
- Brian Moore (1960, 1975)
- Margaret Laurence (1966, 1974)
- Mordecai Richler (1968 (tied), 1971)
- Rudy Wiebe (1973, 1994) no other nominations
- Nino Ricci (1990, 2008) no other nominations
Prior to 1979, only the winners were announced.
Some winners of this prize have also won Governor General's Literary Awards in other categories, such as Margaret Atwood (Fiction, Poetry).
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Governor General's Literary Awards". The Canadian Encyclopedia, May 27, 2007.
- ^ "Late T. B. Roberton Awarded Literary Achievement Prize; Tweedsmuir Raps 'Moderns'". Winnipeg Tribune, November 26, 1937.
- ^ "Leacock, Pratt, Salverson Awarded Viceregal Medals". The Globe and Mail, November 5, 1938.
- ^ "Honors for Canadian Writers". The Globe and Mail, April 29, 1939.
- ^ "Ottawa Poet Awarded Top Canadian Ranking". Ottawa Citizen, April 13, 1940.
- ^ "Medals for Canadian Authors". The Globe and Mail, April 5, 1941.
- ^ "Klee Wyck Tops General Field; Novel of Old Montreal a Winner". Montreal Gazette, June 27, 1942.
- ^ William Arthur Deacon, "Governor-General's Annual Literary Awards Go to Sallans, Birney, Hutchison, Mclnnis". The Globe and Mail, June 19, 1943.
- ^ William Arthur Deacon, "Governor-General's Annual Literary Awards Present More Than Usually Interesting Winners". The Globe and Mail, April 15, 1944.
- ^ "Literary Prizes Are Announced". North Bay Nugget, April 2, 1945.
- ^ "'Two Solitudes' Wins Fiction Book Award". Vancouver Sun, April 13, 1946.
- ^ "Winifred Bambrick Winner of Governor-General's Prize". Owen Sound Sun-Times, April 18, 1947.
- ^ "Governor General's Fiction Award For 1947 Is Won By 'The Tin Flute'". Edmonton Journal, May 22, 1948.
- ^ "Hugh McLennan Is Best 1948 Novelist". Calgary Herald, June 11, 1949.
- ^ "Governor General's Awards Won By Six". Windsor Star, June 3, 1950.
- ^ "Montreal Writer Wins For 1950 Best Novel". Brantford Expositor, May 5, 1951.
- ^ "Five top literary awards won by eastern Canadians". Regina Leader-Post, June 14, 1952.
- ^ "Five Canadian Authors Win Governor General's Awards". Montreal Star, May 30, 1953.
- ^ "Literary Award for Fiction Again Goes to David Walker", Kingston Whig-Standard, May 14, 1954.
- ^ "Highest Fiction Award Goes to Igor Gouzenko". Victoria Times-Colonist, April 2, 1955.
- ^ "Shapiro war book wins fiction prize". The Province, February 25, 1956.
- ^ "Governor-General Literature Awards Are Announced". Red Deer Advocate, May 8, 1957.
- ^ "Gabrielle Roy's Street Of Riches Wins Governor-General's Award". Ottawa Citizen, May 3, 1958.
- ^ "Governor General's Awards In Literature Announced". Calgary Albertan, May 30, 1959.
- ^ "Hugh McLennan Gets Fiction Award". Owen Sound Sun-Times, March 9, 1960.
- ^ "First Book Gains Award For Author". Sault Star, February 25, 1961.
- ^ "Author Died in Obscurity Five Years Ago, Book Wins Governor-General Prize for 1961". Brantford Expositor, February 23, 1962.
- ^ "Governor-General's Awards Show English Fiction Had Thin Year". Vancouver Sun, March 15, 1963.
- ^ "Book Notes". Ottawa Citizen, May 2, 1964.
- ^ "Member Of Early City Family Douglas Le Pan Is Winner Of Governor-General Award". Owen Sound Sun-Times, March 27, 1965.
- ^ "Poet late for Rideau Hall award ceremony". Ottawa Citizen, June 1, 1966.
- ^ "Authors honored". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, June 6, 1967.
- ^ "Awards honor poets, ignore novelists". Kingston Whig-Standard, May 3, 1968.
- ^ "Empty chairs mar ceremony". Montreal Star, May 14, 1969.
- ^ "Governor-General's Awards won by two former Albertans". Calgary Albertan, April 18, 1970.
- ^ "G-G's awards presented in 'informal atmosphere'". Ottawa Citizen, May 19, 1971.
- ^ "Five Quebec writers win Governor-General awards". Montreal Gazette, March 22, 1972.
- ^ "La Sagouine author wins Governor General's award". Montreal Gazette, April 17, 1973.
- ^ "Six books win authors governor-general awards". Red Deer Advocate, May 21, 1974.
- ^ "Quebec writers denounce award but approve $2,500 money prize". Windsor Star, May 23, 1975.
- ^ Burt Heward, "Governor-General's literary awards presented". Ottawa Citizen, April 30, 1976.
- ^ "Quebec writers end literary award boycott". Edmonton Journal, May 18, 1977.
- ^ "Canada Council Literary Awards". Whitehorse Star, June 9, 1978.
- ^ "Alice Munro captures her second Governor-General's writing prize". Calgary Herald, March 22, 1979.
- ^ Alan Twigg, "Jack Hodgins has won more than Canada's top literary award". The Province, May 18, 1980.
- ^ Susan Pedwell, "Nominee for governor-general's award leads the life of a recluse". Calgary Herald, April 17, 1980.
- ^ Burt Heward, "Bawdy novel wins Governor General's award". Ottawa Citizen, April 24, 1981.
- ^ Pat Barclay, "Fat Woman, thin story". Victoria Times-Colonist, April 25, 1981.
- ^ "Governor General's literary awards announced". Ottawa Citizen, May 18, 1982.
- ^ Sheila Robertson, "Author's first novel started at age 11". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, July 16, 1983.
- ^ "B.C. authors considered for awards". The Province, May 26, 1983.
- ^ "CanLit fiction's leading award goes to the Dog". The Globe and Mail, June 21, 1984.
- ^ "Governor General's finalists announced". Montreal Gazette, May 25, 1984.
- ^ Rod Currie, "Former Kingstonian Judith Thompson wins Governor General's Award". Kingston Whig-Standard, June 7, 1985.
- ^ James Adams, "Local writers nominated for award". Edmonton Journal, May 16, 1985.
- ^ "Margaret Atwood lifts second Governor General's award". Edmonton Journal, June 4, 1986.
- ^ "Literary prize nominees named". Red Deer Advocate, May 13, 1986.
- ^ Lisa Rochon, "Yvon Rivard honored for French-language fiction: Munro wins top literary prize". The Globe and Mail, May 28, 1987.
- ^ "Awards finalists announced". The Globe and Mail, May 1, 1987.
- ^ "Literary awards held at Calgary festival". Regina Leader-Post, February 13, 1989.
- ^ "Victoria's Gurr, Page nominated for book awards". Vancouver Sun, January 13, 1988.
- ^ "New Brunswick writer wins national race for top literary prize". The Globe and Mail, March 4, 1989.
- ^ "Atwood, Berton top lists as nominees announced for national literary awards". Montreal Gazette, February 1, 1989.
- ^ "Governor General's awards announced". North Bay Nugget, March 10, 1990.
- ^ "Three B.C. writers in running for awards". Vancouver Sun, February 7, 1990.
- ^ Philip Marchand, "Toronto's Nino Ricci wins top book prize". Toronto Star, January 23, 1991.
- ^ "Prominent names among nominees". Windsor Star, November 17, 1990.
- ^ "First novel earns top literary honor". Windsor Star, December 4, 1991.
- ^ "Atwood leads G-G Award nominees". Hamilton Spectator, November 9, 1991.
- ^ Mark Abley, "Ondaatje wins Governor-General's Award, denounces GST in speech". Montreal Gazette, December 2, 1992.
- ^ Jamie Portman, "Three from Ottawa area among finalists". Ottawa Citizen, November 6, 1992.
- ^ "This time, Stone Diaries on top: Governor General's award atones for loss in Booker". Windsor Star, November 17, 1993.
- ^ "Shields in running for Governor General Award; Nomination comes just after Booker Prize loss". Halifax Daily News, October 29, 1993.
- ^ John Geddes, "Wiebe wins Canada's heart with love of history". Financial Post, November 19, 1994.
- ^ Conway Daly, "Munro, Atwood lead familiar names in race for Governor General's award". Kingston Whig-Standard, October 28, 1994.
- ^ "Writer's Roaring success: Greg Hollingshead wins Governor-General's Award for fiction". Vancouver Sun, November 15, 1995.
- ^ "68 finalists for literary awards". Vancouver Sun, October 27, 1995.
- ^ Philip Marchand, "Vanderhaeghe wins second fiction prize". Toronto Star, November 13, 1996.
- ^ Judy Stoffman, "It's Atwood ahead again in book race". Toronto Star, October 18, 1996.
- ^ Robert Reid, "Jane Urquhart wins Governor General's Award for fiction". Waterloo Region Record, November 19, 1997.
- ^ Paul Gessell, "Urquhart, Hay nominated for Governor General's prize". St. Catharines Standard, October 23, 1997.
- ^ Anne-Marie Tobin, "Kingston author savours literary award". Kingston Whig-Standard, November 18, 1998.
- ^ "Montrealers deluge list of nominees". Montreal Gazette, October 21, 1998.
- ^ "Matt Cohen, Marq de Villiers win GG literary awards". The Western Star, November 17, 1999.
- ^ "Governor General's Award nominees: Clarkson hands them out Nov. 16". Moose Jaw Times-Herald, October 24, 1999.
- ^ "Governor General's Awards handed out". Barrie Examiner, November 15, 2000.
- ^ Anne-Marie Tobin, "Atwood, Ondaatje, among nominees for Governor General's awards". Prince Albert Daily Herald, October 26, 2000.
- ^ "Governor General's award follows on top of the Giller: Novelist Richard Wright has good week". Prince George Citizen, November 15, 2001.
- ^ "Urquhart, Wright get GG award nominations". The Telegram, October 24, 2001.
- ^ Diane Menzies, "Gloria Sawai, 70, wins Gov. Gen.'s literary award". Welland Tribune, November 13, 2002.
- ^ "Shields, Johnston lead fiction list for GG awards". Timmins Daily Press, October 22, 2002.
- ^ "Douglas Glover wins Gov. Gen.'s Literary Award for English fiction: Canadian living in New York State won prize for Elle, a fictionalized account of Gulf of St. Lawrence castaway". Cape Breton Post, November 13, 2003.
- ^ Anne-Marie Tobin, "Stellar year for Atwood: Writer makes short list for Gov-Gen's fiction award". Brantford Expositor, October 25, 2003.
- ^ "Dallaire, Toews among award winners". Sudbury Star, November 17, 2004.
- ^ "Governor General award nominee 'hugely relieved' with book reviews". Guelph Mercury, November 13, 2004.
- ^ "Gilmour wins fiction prize". Prince George Citizen, November 15, 2005.
- ^ Vanessa Farquharson, "The 2005 G-G nominees: all killer, no Giller: Literary awards". National Post, October 18, 2005.
- ^ "First-time author beats out experienced peers". Nanaimo Daily News, November 22, 2006.
- ^ "Cole, Gaston among nominees for Governor General's awards". Whitehorse Star, October 16, 2006.
- ^ "Michael Ondaatje wins again". North Bay Nugget, November 28, 2007.
- ^ Cassandra Szklarski, "Ondaatje and Vassanji among literary stars on Governor General's short list; Books Notable literary heavyweights include Margaret Atwood, David Chariandy, Barbara Gowdy and Heather O'Neill". The Daily Gleaner, October 17, 2007.
- ^ Paul Gessell, "Ricci repeats as GG Literary Award winner". Ottawa Citizen, November 19, 2008.
- ^ "Hage, Ricci finalists for literary prize". Waterloo Region Record, October 22, 2008.
- ^ Pat Donnelly and Kathryn Greenaway, "A fiction win via a Yukon copper mine; Kate Pullinger wins Governor General's Award". National Post, November 18, 2009.
- ^ Adrian Chamberlain, "Bookstore clerk's first offering vies with Alice Munro for top prize". Victoria Times-Colonist, October 15, 2009.
- ^ Mark Medley, "Cool Water wins GG award for fiction; Dianne Warren beat out Room, among others". National Post, November 17, 2010.
- ^ "GG lit-award finalists include Emma Donoghue, Kathleen Winter". Alaska Highway News, October 14, 2010.
- ^ "Literary gold rush: Patrick deWitt's 'Sisters Brothers' wins Gov-Gen prize". Whitehorse Star, November 15, 2011.
- ^ Mark Medley, "Literary hat tricks; G-G Awards; Two authors make three fiction prize lists". National Post, October 12, 2011.
- ^ Greg Quill, "Spalding's slave tale gets GG fiction nod: Toronto writer also nominated for Writers' Trust Prize". Toronto Star, November 14, 2012.
- ^ Paul Irish, "Vincent Lam on Governor General's short list". Toronto Star, October 3, 2012.
- ^ "Eleanor Catton wins Governor General's Literary Award for The Luminaries". Toronto Star. November 13, 2011.
- ^ Ahearn, Victoria (October 2, 2013). "Governor General Literary Award finalists announced (updated)". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on October 11, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ Medley, Mark (November 18, 2014). "Thomas King wins Governor-General's Award for fiction". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ "Thomas, Chafe on shortlists for Governor General's awards". Winnipeg Free Press, October 7, 2014.
- ^ Cam Fuller, "Modest Vanderhaeghe joins exclusive company with third GG win". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, October 29, 2015.
- ^ "Guelph author shortlisted for Governor General's Literary Award". Guelph Tribune, October 8, 2015.
- ^ "Madeline Thien wins Governor-General's award for English fiction". The Globe and Mail, October 25, 2016.
- ^ Ian McGillis, "Thien makes short list for third time; Adds GG nod to Booker, Giller nominations". Sarnia Observer, October 5, 2016.
- ^ "Governor General Literary Awards announced: Joel Thomas Hynes wins top English fiction prize". CBC News, November 1, 2017.
- ^ "Winter, Hynes up for Governor General's Award". Halifax Chronicle-Herald, October 7, 2017.
- ^ "Here are the winners of the 2018 Governor General's Literary Awards". CBC Books, November 9, 2018.
- ^ "Hage, Toews among finalists for Governor General's Literary Awards". Peterborough Examiner, October 4, 2018.
- ^ Jane van Koeverden, "Here are the winners of the 2019 Governor General's Literary Awards". CBC Books, October 29, 2019.
- ^ "Literary finalists named; 70 books vie for $450,000 in prizes at 2019 Governor General's awards". Windsor Star, October 7, 2019.
- ^ "Michelle Good says celebrating fiction win feels 'petty and selfish' after residential school discovery". CTV News, June 1, 2021.
- ^ "Francesca Ekwuyasi, Billy-Ray Belcourt & Anne Carson among 2020 Governor General's Literary Awards finalists". CBC Books, May 4, 2021.
- ^ "Inuk author Norma Dunning wins $25K Governor General's fiction prize" Archived 2021-11-17 at the Wayback Machine. Coast Reporter, November 17, 2021.
- ^ "Rachel Cusk among fiction finalists for Governor General's Literary Awards". Toronto Star, October 14, 2021.
- ^ Deborah Dundas, "Sheila Heti, Eli Baxter win 2022 Governor General's Literary Awards for fiction and non-fiction". Toronto Star, November 16, 2022.
- ^ "The finalists for the 2022 Governor General's Literary Award for fiction". CBC Books, October 12, 2022.
- ^ "Anuja Varghese wins Governor General's literary award for fiction". Toronto Star, November 8, 2023.
- ^ "Suzette Mayr, Iain Reid among finalists for Governor General's Literary Awards". Burnaby Now, October 25, 2023.
- ^ Cassandra Drudi, "Jordan Abel, Niigaan Sinclair among 2024 Governor General’s award winners". Quill & Quire, November 13, 2024.
- ^ Cassandra Drudi, "Canisia Lubrin, Danny Ramadan among 2024 Governor General’s Literary Award finalists". Quill & Quire, October 8, 2024.