Last Taylor Prize shortlist announced

Broadcaster Ziya Tong’s “The Reality Bubble” has made the shortlist for the RBC Taylor Prize.

The last ever RBC Taylor Prize shortlist has been released — and, barring a lone independent press book, the Penguin Random House stable of imprints dominates. In the running for the $30,000 prize are:

“Bush Runner: The Adventures of Pierre-Esprit Radisson,” by Mark Bourrie (Biblioasis), is the story of “a human con artist of heroic stamina and fluid loyalties” and connects Canadian fur traders with three European royal courts and is published by the lone independent press book on the list;

“Had It Coming: What’s Fair in the Age of #MeToo?,” by Robyn Doolittle (Allen Lane), looks at the issue of sexual politics and our attitude toward sexual harassment and assault;

“Highway of Tears: A True Story of Racism, Indifference and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls,” by Jessica McDiarmid (Doubleday Canada), tells the stories of some of the Indigenous girls and women who were murdered on Highway 16 in B.C.;

“The Reality Bubble: Blind Spots, Hidden Truths and the Dangerous Illusions That Shape Our World,” by Ziya Tong (Allen Lane), in which broadcaster Tong bursts some everyday illusions and what our blind spots teach us to miss; and

“The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator,” by Timothy C. Winegard (Allen Lane), a fascinating look at human history through the lens of the mosquito. You can hear and meet the finalists at a free discussion at Harbourfront at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27.