Giller Bridesmaids: Where are they now?

November 7, 2011 by Kerry Clare

tagged : scotiabank giller prize, giller prize shortlists, giller prize finalists, giller prize history

What is the "Giller Effect" for those writers whose books are shortlisted for the prize? A look back at previous nominees might provide a clue, and also serve as a reminder of some great books calling out to be discovered again.

1994: Winner, M.G. Vassanji, The Book of Secrets

Bonnie Burnard, Casino and Other Stories: Burnard would go on to win the Giller Prize in 1999 for A Good House. Her latest book Suddenly was published in 2009.

Eliza Clark, What You Need: Clark's most recent novel is Bite the Stars (2000).

Shyam Selvadurai, Funny Boy: Selvaduri published Swimming in the Monsoon Sea in 2005, a YA novel which was nominated for a Governor General's Literary Award and won the Lamba Literary Award in 2006.

Steve Weiner, The Museum of Love: Sweet England was published in 2010, and was shortlisted for the 2011 ReLit Awards.

1995: Winner, Rohinton Mistry, A Fine Balance

Timothy Findley, The Piano Man's Daughter: Findley would be shortlisted again in 1999 for Pilgrim. He died in 2002.

Barbara Gowdy, Mister Sandman: The White Bone was shortlisted in 1998, and her most recent novel Helpless appeared on the Giller longlist in 2007.

Leo McKay, Jr., Like This: His first novel Twenty-Six was published in 2003, and won the Dartmouth Book Award.

Richard B. Wright, The Age of Longing: Wright would win the Giller Prize in 2001 for Clara Callan. (Read more about The Age of Longing in Jamie Fitzpatrick's essay "Hockey Bums and Hockey Novels")

1996: Winner, Margaret Atwood, Alias Grace

Gail Anderson-Dargatz, The Cure for Death by Lightning: Anderson-Dargatz would be nominated again in 1998 for A Recipe for Bees. Her most recent book is Turtle Valley (2007).

Ann-Marie MacDonald, Fall on Your Knees: MacDonald's most recent novel, 2003's The Way the Crow Flies, was also shortlisted for the Giller Prize. A play, Belle Moral, was published in 2004.

Anne Michaels, Fugitive Pieces: Michaels would be shortlisted again in 2009 for The Winter Vault.

Guy Vanderhaeghe, The Englishman's Boy: Vanderhaeghe's most recent book is A Good Man, which was longlisted for the 2011 Scotiabank Giller Prize. His novel Last Crossing (2002) won the Saskatchewan Book Award and the Canadian Booksellers' Association Libris Award.

1997: Winner, Mordecai Richler, Barney's Version

Michael Helm, The Projectionist: Helm published the acclaimed In the Place of Lost Things in 2002, and his 2010 novel Cities of Refuge appeared on the Giller longlist.

Shani Mootoo, Cereus Blooms at Night: Mootoo has since published a collection of poetry and two novels. Her latest, Valmiki's Daughter, was longlisted for the Giller Prize in 2009.

Nino Ricci, Where She Has Gone: Ricci's most recent novel The Origin of Species won the Governor General's Award in 2008.

Carol Shields, Larry's Party: Before her death in 2002, Shields' novel Unless would be shortlisted for the Giller Prize, and win the 2003 Orange Prize.

1998: Winner, Alice Munro, The Love of a Good Woman

André Alexis, Childhood: Alexis' recent books include the YA novel Ingrid and the Wolf, the novel Asylum, and the essay collection Beauty and Sadness.

Gail Anderson-Dargatz, A Recipe for Bees: See previous note.

Barbara Gowdy, The White Bone: See previous note.

Greg Hollingshead, The Healer: Hollingshead's most recent novel is Bedlam (2004).

Wayne Johnston, The Colony of Unrequited Dreams: Johnston has since published three novels, one of which has been shortlisted (2002) and the other two longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. His nost recent book is The World Elsewhere.

1999: Winner, Bonnie Burnard, A Good House

Timothy Findley, Pilgrim: See previous note.

Anne Hébert, Am I Disturbing You?: Hébert died in 2000. Among the many awards and honours she received in Quebec and the rest of Canada throughout her life, she was awarded the Governor General's Award three times.

Nancy Huston, The Mark of the Angel: Fault Lines was translated into English in 2008, after winning France's Prix Femina in 2006. Her most recent novel Infrared has just appeared in English.

David Macfarlane, Summer Gone: McFarlane has since written the play Fishwrap, as well as a libretto, and essay collections about the history of Toronto.

2000: Winners, Michael Ondaatje, Anil's Ghost & David Adams Richards, Mercy Among the Children

Alan Cumyn, Burridge Unbound: Cumyn has since published several acclaimed books for young people, the most recent of which is Tilt.

Elizabeth Hay, A Student of Weather: Hay would win the Giller Prize in 2007 for Late Nights on Air. Her most recent novel is Alone in the Classroom. (Check out Elizabeth Hay's reading list Six Books I'm Rereading.)

Eden Robinson, Monkey Beach: Robinson's most recent book is the short story collection Blood Sports (2006).

Fred Stenson, The Trade: Stenson's most recent book The Big Karoo was nominated for the Governor General's Award and Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 2008.

2001: Winner, Richard B. Wright, Clara Callan

Sandra Birdsell, The Russlander: In 2010, Birdsell's latest novel Waiting for Joe was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award.

Michael Crummey, River Thieves: Crummey has since published two poetry collections, and the acclaimed novels The Wreckage and Galore.

Michael Redhill, Martin Sloane: Redhill's most recent book is the novel Consolation which was winner of the 2007 City of Toronto Book Award and longlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

Timothy Taylor, Stanley Park: The Blue Light Project was published in 2010.

Jane Urquhart, The Stone Carvers: Urquhart has since published the novels A Map of Glass and Sanctuary Line (longlisted for the 2010 Scotiabank Giller Prize). She was also editor of The Penguin Book of Canadian Short Stories, and author of a biography of L.M. Montgomery as part of the Extraordinary Canadians Series.

2002: Winner Austin Clarke, The Polished Hoe

Bill Gaston, Mount Appetite: Gaston's most recent books include Gargoyles (nominated for the 2006 Governor General's Award) and the novel The Order of Good Cheer.

Wayne Johnston, The Navigator of New York: See previous note.

Lisa Moore, Open: Moore would be shortlisted again in 2005 for Alligator, which won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. Her most recent novel is February.

Carol Shields, Unless: See previous note.

2003: Winner, M. G. Vassanji, The In-Between World of Vikram Lall

Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake: Atwood's most recent novel The Year of the Flood was longlisted in 2009.

John Bemrose, The Island Walkers: Bemrose's second novel The Last Woman was published in 2009.

John Gould, Kilter: 55 Fictions: Gould's most recent book is 7 Reasons Not To Be Good (2010).

Ann-Marie MacDonald, The Way the Crow Flies: See previous note.

2004: Alice Munro, Runaway

Shauna Singh Baldwin, The Tiger Claw: Baldwin has since published the short story collection We Are Not in Pakistan, and a play, We Are So Different Now.

Wayson Choy, All That Matters: Choy's most recent book is Not Yet: A Memoir of Living and Almost Dying (2009)

Pauline Holdstock, Beyond Measure: In 2011, Holdstock published the novel Into the Heart of the Country.

Paul Quarrington, Galveston: Quarrington died in 2010. His novel The Ravine was published in 2008, and the essay collection Cigar Box Banjo was published in 2010.

Miriam Toews, A Complicated Kindness: Toews' most recent book is Irma Voth. The Flying Troutmans won the 2008 Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize.

2005: Winner, David Bergen, The Time in Between

Joan Barfoot, Luck: Her novel Exit Lines was published in 2009.

Camilla Gibb, Sweetness in the Belly: Gibb's most recent book is 2010's The Beauty of Humanity Movement.

Lisa Moore, Alligator: See previous note.

Edeet Ravel, A Wall of Light: Raval is author of the "Pauline btw" series for young people, the novel Your Sad Eyes and Unforgettable Mouth, and the memoir The Last Rain.

2006: Winner, Vincent Lam, Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures

Rawi Hage, De Niro's Game: Hage was shortlisted again for for the Giller Prize in 2008 for Cockroach, which won the Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction.

Pascale Quiviger, The Perfect Circle (translation by Sheila Fischman): Her novel The Breakwater House was published in English in 2010.

Gaétan Soucy, The Immaculate Conception (translation by Lazer Lederhendler)

Carol Windley, Home Schooling

2007: Winner, Elizabeth Hay, Late Nights on Air

Michael Ondaatje, Divisadero: Ondaatje's most recent book The Cat's Table has been shortlsited for the 2011 Award.

Daniel Poliquin, A Secret Between Us (trans. Donald Winkler): Poliquin is most recently author of a Rene Levesque biography as part of the Extraordinary Canadians Series.

M. G. Vassanji, The Assassin's Song: His travel memoir A Place Within won the Governor General's Award for Nonfiction in 2009.

Alissa York, Effigy: York's most recent novel Fauna was a finalist for the 2011 Toronto Book Award.