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Canada's Glittering Giller

© Diana Adams

Well it is that time again in Canada, the time when Canlit dons its Giller gowns and puts on glittering Giller hats. The Giller Prize awards the author of the best Canadian novel or short story collection. There is always a great deal of secrecy in Canadian literary circles over this award, this year the judges read 78 books from 32 publishers and kept their lips successfully sealed until the official announcement of the short list. This is the eighth year of the award, founded by Toronto businessman Jack Rabinovitch for his late wife, the literary journalist Doris Giller.

It seems something unusual happens with The Giller every year, but perhaps that is what makes this award so interesting. Last year the judges could not decide between two contenders. So, two $25,000 cheques were issued: one to Michael Ondaatje for, Anil's Ghost and the other to David Adams Richards for Mercy Among the Children. Alas, this year it has been announced that there can be only one winner. Can you imagine two Booker Prize winners, or two Nobels? Oh, Canada!

The buzz this year is centered around the abundance of first- time novelists on the shortlist. Three of the six novels short listed are new to the art of novels. First novels on the list this year are by Michael Crummey for River Thieves, Michael Redhill for Martin Sloane, and Timothy Taylor for Stanley Park.

The veterans of the short list are Jane Urquhart (last year she was a Giller Judge) for The Stone Carvers, Sandra Birdsell for The Russlander, and Richard Wright for Clara Callan.The Stone Carvers had the honour of making the long list of the 2001 Booker Prize. Many people feel that Urquhart will take home the Giller this year.

No one is quite sure what is going on with Alice Munro's Giller contention. It is rumoured that she had first submitted, and then withdrew her new short story collection entitled Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage. If you ask me, it has something to do with that awful title.

Also in question is the absence of Dennis Bock's first novel, The Ash Garden, which was met with critical acclaim in Canada. The Ash Garden received a great deal of international attention for its poignant examination of the consequences of science. His book explores the effects of the atomic bomb of World War II, in the human context of his three characters.

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