Scotiabank Giller Prize 2011 announces its longlist

TORONTO, Sept. 6, 2011 /CNW/ - The 2011 Scotiabank Giller Prize jury today announced its longlist of books in the running for this year's award. The jury selected 16 titles out of 143 books - a record-setting number of submissions - put forward by 55 publishers from every region of Canada.

This year's jury is made up of award-winning Canadian writer and 2009 Scotiabank Giller Prize finalist Annabel Lyon; American author, memoirist and Guggenheim fellow Howard Norman; and acclaimed UK playwright and prize-winning novelist Andrew O'Hagan.
Two thousand and eleven marks the 18^th year of the prize. The 143 books of fiction received this year represent a nearly 50% increase in submissions received in any other year since the prize began in 1994.
From a large and highly competitive field, the Scotiabank Giller Prize jury selected the following titles for this year's longlist:


David Bezmozgis for his novel THE FREE WORLD, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
Clarke Blaise for his short story collection THE MEAGRE TARMAC, Biblioasis
Lynn Coady for her novel THE ANTAGONIST, House of Anansi Press
Michael Christie for his short story collection THE BEGGAR'S GARDEN, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
Patrick DeWitt for his novel THE SISTERS BROTHERS, House of Anansi Press
*Myrna Dey for her novel EXTENSIONS, NeWest Press
Esi Edugyan for her novel HALF-BLOOD BLUES, Thomas Allen Publishers
Marina Endicott for her novel THE LITTLE SHADOWS, Doubleday Canada
Zsuzsi Gartner for her short story collection BETTER LIVING THROUGH PLASTIC EXPLOSIVES, Hamish Hamilton Canada
Genni Gunn for her novel SOLITARIA, Signature Editions
Pauline Holdstock for her novel INTO THE HEART OF THE COUNTRY, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
Wayne Johnston for his novel A WORLD ELSEWHERE, Knopf Canada
Dany Laferrière for his novel THE RETURN (translation, David Homel), Douglas & McIntyre
Suzette Mayr for her novel MONOCEROS, Coach House Books
Michael Ondaatje for his novel THE CAT'S TABLE, McClelland & Stewart
Guy Vanderhaeghe for his novel A GOOD MAN, McClelland & Stewart
Alexi Zentner for his novel TOUCH, Knopf Canada