2017 Scotiabank Giller Prize

 

And the 2017 Scotiabank Giller Prize goes to ... Michael Redhill!

November 20, 2017 (Toronto, ON) – Michael Redhill has been named the winner of the $100,000 Scotiabank Giller Prize for his novel Bellevue Square, published by Doubleday Canada. The announcement was made at a black-tie dinner and award ceremony hosted by Mary Walsh and attended by nearly 500 members of the publishing, media and arts communities. The gala was broadcast live on CBC, CBC Radio One and live-streamed on CBCBooks.ca.

This year the Prize celebrates its 24th anniversary.

The shortlist of five authors and their books, announced on October 2, 2017, included:

• Rachel Cusk for her novel Transit, published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
• Ed O'Loughlin for his novel Minds of Winter, published by House of Anansi Press
• Michael Redhill for his novel Bellevue Square, published by Doubleday Canada
• Eden Robinson for her novel Son of a Trickster, published by Alfred A. Knopf Canada
• Michelle Winters for her novel I Am a Truck, published by Invisible Publishing

Of the winning book, the jury wrote:

"To borrow a line from Michael Redhill's beautiful Bellevue Square, "I do subtlety in other areas of my life." So let's look past the complex literary wonders of this book, the doppelgangers and bifurcated brains and alternate selves, the explorations of family, community, mental health, and literary life. Let's stay straightforward, and tell you that beyond the mysterious elements, this novel is warm, and funny, and smart. Let's celebrate that it is, simply, a pleasure to read."

MICHAEL REDHILL is a novelist, poet, playwright and former publisher of Brick. He is the author of the novels Consolation and Martin Sloane, which was a finalist for the 2001 Giller Prize; the short story collection Fidelity; and the poetry collection Light-Crossing; among other acclaimed works. He lives in Toronto.

During the award ceremony, Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman performed a tribute to Jack Rabinovitch, founder of the Giller Prize who died in August. A roster of distinguished authors - Lawrence Hill, John Irving, Rupi Kaur, Thomas King and Madeleine Thien - introduced the shortlisted authors and presented video profiles highlighting the nominated books.