The prestigious Giller Prize has recently announced its long list of nominees for this year’s award, and with it comes a significant change. The prize, which has been known as the Scotiabank Giller Prize since 2005, will now be referred to as simply the Giller Prize.
The decision to drop Scotiabank from the name was made by the prize’s founder, Jack Rabinovitch, who passed away in 2017. Rabinovitch’s daughter, Elana Rabinovitch, who is now the executive director of the prize, explained that the change was made to honor her father’s wishes.
The Giller Prize, which was established in 1994, is one of Canada’s most prestigious literary awards. It recognizes the best in Canadian fiction, and the winner receives a cash prize of $100,000. This year’s long list includes 12 titles, chosen from a pool of 132 books submitted by publishers across the country.
Among the nominees are some familiar names, such as Miriam Toews, who has been shortlisted for the prize twice before, and Rachel Cusk, who was previously longlisted for the prize in 2015. Other notable nominees include Souvankham Thammavongsa, who recently won the prestigious Trillium Book Award, and Thomas King, who has won the Giller Prize in 2003 for his novel “The Inconvenient Indian.”
The long list also features a diverse range of genres, including historical fiction, mystery, and short story collections. This year’s list also includes a graphic novel, “The Great Northern Brotherhood of Canadian Cartoonists” by Seth.
The shortlist for the Giller Prize will be announced on October 5, and the winner will be revealed on November 8. The jury for this year’s prize includes Canadian authors Zalika Reid-Benta, Megan Gail Coles, and Joshua Whitehead.
The Giller Prize has a long history of recognizing and celebrating Canadian literature, and this year’s long list is a testament to the incredible talent and diversity within the Canadian literary community. As we eagerly await the announcement of the shortlist and the ultimate winner, we can be sure that the Giller Prize will continue to showcase the best of Canadian fiction for years to come.
