Toronto Book Awards Shortlist Announced
The Toronto Book Awards Shortlist was revealed earlier today. Five books were selected from 75 submissions.
The award was established by city council in 1974 to honour authors and books evocative of Toronto. Fiction, non-fiction, drama and poetry are eligible for this award.
2012 Finalists:
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Copernicus Avenue by Andrew Borkowski
The Polish citizens living in the fictional Copernicus Avenue neighbourhood adjust to the challenges of mid-20th century Toronto while struggling to balance tradition and modern life in this collection of short stories.
Paramita, Little Black by Suzanne Robertson
Robertson's poetry explores themes of personal transformation and enlightenment along with the conflicting desires for love and autonomy in modern society. The collection was a finalist for the 2012 Gerald Lampert Award.
Six Metres of Pavement by Farzana Doctor
Ismail Boxwala spends his days working, his nights drinking, always trying to deal with the guilt he feels over the death of his daughter. Unexpectedly he finds himself befriending two women and discovers an opportunity for redemption and even love. Winner of the Lambda Literary Award for General Lesbian Fiction.
Writing Gordon Lightfoot: the Man, the Music, and the World in 1972 by Dave Bidini
Although Bidini envisioned writing a biography of Gordon Lightfoot, the singer was not willing to cooperate. Instead Bidini examines Lightfoot in the context of Canada in 1972, an era of great change and a closer look at the 1972 Mariposa Folk Festival where Lightfoot performed alongside Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan.
Writing the Revolution by Michele Landsberg
Groundbreaking columnist Landsberg wrote about women's issues at a time when they were rarely featured in major newspapers. This collection of columns written between 1978 and 2003 act as a history of this critical era, with new commentary from the author about events and personalities of the time.
The winner will be announced on October 11, 2012.
One thought on “Toronto Book Awards Shortlist Announced”
As a poetry fan, I’m glad this award exists and would like to thank the Toronto Library for promoting it.
“Poetry is finer and more philosophical than history; for poetry expresses the universal, and history only the particular.”
~Aristotle
(source: http://www.quoteoasis.com)