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Canadian Council for the Arts Reveals Governor General’s Literary Awards Finalists
The finalists for the Governor General's Literary Awards spotlight books in both the English and French language, as well as translated works. / BY serina ahmad / October 13th, 2022
On Wednesday, the Canadian Council for the Arts announced 70 finalists for the 2022 Governor General’s Literary Awards, recognizing Canada’s best English-language and French-language books.
The award, established in 1936 by Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir and the Canadian Author’s Association, is one of Canada’s oldest literary prizes. In 1959, the Canadian Council for the Arts began funding, administering, and promoting the awards.
The finalists, meanwhile, are divided into seven categories: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, young people’s literature — text, young people’s literature — illustrated books, and translation. The 14 winners will be announced on Nov. 16. See below for the full list of finalists.
English-Language Finalists
Fiction
All the Quiet Places, by Brian Thomas Isaac
Finding Edward, by Sheila Murray
Probably Ruby, by Lisa Bird-Wilson
Pure Colour, by Sheila Heti
The Most Precious Substance on Earth, by Shashi Bhat
Poetry
Dream of No One But Myself, by David Bradford
H of H Playbook, by Anne Carson
Horrible Dance, by Avery Lake
Shadow Blight, by Annick MacAskill
Shifting Baseline Syndrome, by Aaron Kreuter
Drama
Everybody Just C@lm the F#ck Down, by Robert Chafe
Inheritance: a pick-the-path experience, by Daniel Arnold and Medina Hahn
Iphigenia and the Furies (On Taurian Land) and Antigone: 方, by Ho Ka Kei (Jeff Ho)
Lady Sunrise, by Marjorie Chan
The Piano Teacher: A Healing Key, by Dorothy Dittrich
Non-fiction
Aki-Wayn-Zih: A Person as Worthy as the Earth, by Eli Baxter
All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days: The True Story of the American Woman at the Heart of the German Resistance to Hitler, by Rebecca Donner
Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Crisis, by Britt Wray
Persephone’s Children: A Life in Fragments, by Rowan McCandless
Rehearsals for Living, by Robyn Maynard and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson
Young People’s Literature – Text
A Boy Is Not a Ghost, by Edeet Ravel
Sorry for Your Loss, by Joanne Levy
Step, by Deborah Ellis
The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, by Jen Ferguson
Urchin, by Kate Story
Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books
kā-āciwīkicik / The Move, by Doris George, Don K. Philpot and Alyssa Koski
Mina, by Matthew Forsythe
The Big Bath House, by Kyo Maclear and Gracey Zhang
The Sour Cherry Tree, by Naseem Hrab and Nahid Kazemi
Time is a Flower, by Julie Morstad
Translation (from French to English)
History of the Jews in Quebec, translated by Judith Weisz Woodsworth. A translation of Histoire des Juifs du Québec, by Pierre Anctil
Remnants, translated by Aleshia Jensen. A translation of Le drap blanc, by Céline Huyghebaert
They Called Us Savages: A Hereditary Chief’s Quest for Truth and Harmony, translated by Ben Vrignon. A translation of On nous appelait les Sauvages: souvenirs et espoirs d’un chef héréditaire algonquin, by Dominique Rankin and Marie-Josée Tardif
This Is How I Disappear, translated by Aleshia Jensen and Bronwyn Haslam. A translation of C’est comme ça que je disparais, by Mirion Malle
White Resin, translated by Susan Ouriou. A translation of Blanc Résine, by Audrée Wilhelmy
French-Language Finalists
Fiction
Jardin radio, by Charlotte Biron
Les ombres blanches, by Dominique Fortier
Mille secrets mille dangers, by Alain Farah
Sans refuge, by Maryse Andraos
Tableau final de l’amour, by Larry Tremblay
Poetry
À mon retour, by Élise Turcotte
Chambre minimum, by Frédéric Dumont
Enfants du lichen, by Maya Cousineau Mollen
Le programme double de la femme tuée, by Carole David
Vivarium, by Anna Babi
Drama
Disgrâce, by Nadia Girard Eddahia
L’art de vivre, by Liliane Gougeon Moisan
Le poids des fourmis, by David Paquet
Les remugles ou La danse nuptiale est une langue morte, by Caroline Bélisle
Seeker, by Marie-Claude Verdier
Non-fiction
Armer la rage : Pour une littérature de combat, by Marie-Pier Lafontaine
La source et le roseau, by Jean-François Beauchemin
La Voie romaine, by Sylveline Bourion
L’habitude des ruines : Le sacre de l’oubli et de la laideur au Québec, by Marie-Hélène Voyer
Tu vois ce que je veux dire? Illustrations, métaphores et autres images qui parlent, by Clément de Gaulejac
Young People’s Literature – Text
Cancer ascendant Autruche, by Julie Champagne
Dessiner dans les marges et autres activités de fantôme, by Carolanne Foucher
La pluie des autres, by Daphné B.
Les Bulles, by Reynald Cantin
Les carnets de novembre, by Marie-Hélène Jarry
Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books
La fin des poux?, by Orbie
Trèfle , by Nadine Robert and Qin Leng
Truffe, by Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault
Seuls, by Paul Tom and Mélanie Baillairgé
Un rhume de cheval, by Pierrette Dubé and Enzo
Translation (from English to French)
Dans la lugubre forêt nos corps seront suspendus, translated by Benoit Laflamme. A translation of Through the Sad Wood Our Corpses Will Hang, by Ava Farmehri
Le fruit de la puanteur, translated by Sylvie Bérard and Suzanne Grenier. A translation of Salt Fish Girl, by Larissa Lai
Le malenchantement de sainte Lucy, translated by Éric Fontaine. A translation of The Beguiling, by Zsuzsi Gartner
Les coups de dés, translated by Catherine Leroux. A translation of The Wagers, by Sean Michaels
Partie de chasse au petit gibier entre lâches au club de tir du coin, translated by Mélissa Verreault. A translation of Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club, by Megan Gail Coles
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