The annual $100,000 Scotiabank Giller Prize is still the granddaddy of literary prizes in Canada, and its longlist is eagerly awaited by publishing insiders and book lovers alike each year. This year's list is a mix of small press surprises, early favourites and heavy hitters. There are titles like Undermajordomo Minor from Oregon-based Patrick deWitt, tapped as a prize favourite before it was even published, while André Alexis's quirky fable-like novel Fifteen Dogs comes in as a dark horse.
It's a good year for short fiction, which traditionally has a tough time in prize season, with three collections on the longlist, including the English translation of Samuel Archibald's Arvida.
The 2015 Scotiabank Giller Prize Longlist:
André Alexis for his novel Fifteen Dogs, published by Coach House Books
Samuel Archibald for his story collection Arvida, published by Biblioasis, translated from the French by Donald Winkler
Michael Christie for his novel If I Fall, If I Die, published by McClelland & Stewart
Rachel Cusk for her novel Outline, published by Harper Perennial, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Patrick deWitt for his novel Undermajordomo Minor, published by House of Anansi Press
Marina Endicott for her novel Close to Hugh, published by Doubleday Canada
Connie Gault for her novel A Beauty, published by McClelland & Stewart
Alix Hawley for her novel All True Not a Lie in It, published by Knopf Canada
Clifford Jackman for his novel The Winter Family, published by Random House Canada
Heather O’Neill for her story collection Daydreams of Angels, published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Anakana Schofield for her novel Martin John, published by A John Metcalf Book, an imprint of Biblioasis
Russell Smith for his story collection Confidence, published by A John Metcalf Book, an imprint of Biblioasis
This year's jury consists of Irish author John Boyne, who serves as Jury Chair, Canadian writers Cecil Foster, Alexander MacLeod and , and British author Helen Oyeyemi. The winner of the Giller Prize will be announced on November 10, 2015.
Stay tuned to Open Book for plenty of news about book prizes, shortlists, prize predictions and more throughout the season!
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