Writers’ Trust shortlists Brother
$50,000 fiction prize announces finalists
TORONTO — The accolades continue to come for Canadian author David Chariandy and his novel Brother.
The Toronto-born writer’s second book, already in contention for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, has also been shortlisted for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize.
Brother (McClelland & Stewart) is set in a Toronto housing complex and tells the story of two brothers as they confront prejudice and violence in their neighbourhood during the summer of 1991. The novel was included on the Giller long list earlier this month.
The Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize honours the year’s best Canadian novel or short story.
Also nominated are Omar El Akkad’s futuristic American War (McClelland & Stewart), Claire Cameron’s science- and genderfocused The Last Neanderthal (Doubleday Canada), Leanne Betasamosake Simpson’s This Accident of Being Lost (House of Anansi Press), which incorporates Nishnaabeg storytelling, narrative and poetry, and Carleigh Baker’s short story collection Bad Endings (Anvil Press).
The Writers’ Trust announced Tuesday that it will double its prize money. The winner will receive $50,000 while each finalist will get $5,000.
To determine the list, a jury including Michael Christie, Christy Ann Conlin and Tracey Lindberg read a total of 141 books submitted by 67 publishers.
Past winners of the prize include Alice Munro, Lawrence Hill and Andre Alexis. Last year’s honour went to Yasuko Thanh for her novel Mysterious Fragrance of the Yellow Mountains.
The winner will be announced in Toronto on Nov. 14.