22°c Partly cloudy
10°c Sunny
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
David Bergen has shot at second Giller Prize
David Bergen (KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES) Photo Store
TORONTO -- Winnipegger David Bergen will have a shot at winning a second Scotiabank Giller Prize next month.
Bergen's sixth novel, The Matter With Morris (Phyllis Bruce Books/HarperCollins), was shortlisted for the $50,000 award Tuesday morning. It's about a middle-aged newspaper columnist who is reassessing his life after his son is killed in Afghanistan.
Just being a finalist guarantees the 53-year-old writer a $5,000 consolation prize.
"I'll take it," Bergen joked in a telephone interview after learning he'd made the short list.
"I've got three kids in university and one in private school."
When Bergen won the Giller in 2005 for The Time in Between, a novel set in Vietnam, he was the dark horse on the list. Five years later, he's the marquee name.
Two short story collections are also in the running this year: Light Lifting (Biblioasis) by Dartmouth, N.S.-based Alexander MacLeod, who is the son of the acclaimed writer Alistair MacLeod, and This Cake Is for the Party (Thomas Allen Publishers) by Toronto's Sarah Selecky.
The short list is rounded out by two first novels: The Sentimentalists (Gaspereau Press) by Johanna Skibsrud and Annabel (House of Anansi Press) by Kathleen Winter. Both women live in Montreal.
Winter's novel is also nominated for a Writers' Trust Award.
Another Winnipegger, Joan Thomas, had made this year's Giller long list with her second novel, Curiosity, but it did not survive the cut.
"It's a crapshoot," said Bergen, who has already begun working on another novel, his seventh.
"Every year the Giller jury is different. You write the best book you can and throw it out there."
The Giller winner will be announced at a Toronto gala on Nov. 9.
The short lists for this year's Governor General's Literary Awards are being announced Oct. 13.
This year's Giller jury consists of broadcaster Michael Enright, author Claire Messud and writer Ali Smith. They arrived at the short list after reading 98 books submitted by 38 publishing houses.
The prize was established in 1994 by businessman Jack Rabinovitch in honour of his late wife, literary journalist Doris Giller. It has become one of the country's most popular and lucrative literary awards, with nominated books receiving a considerable boost in sales.
The gala ceremony will be broadcast live on Bravo! and CTV.ca, and will air on CTV on Nov. 10.
-- Canadian Press with staff files
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 6, 2010 D1
More Columnists
- Back to Top
- Return to Columnists
Poll
Most Popular Columnists
- A new mom's booze-fuelled hell
- Big Blue will have one helluva punter
- Political opportunity knocks to abolish Senate
- Tick season means pets at risk of Lyme disease
- He's been taking funny seriously for 60 years
- Tell your dad what you think
- 'Most hated man' in Senate
- Can't lose when ends justify means
- Katz bogeys again
- Doc's memoir portrays ERs as frantic, funny, frightening ... but never dull
- A new mom's booze-fuelled hell
- Katz bogeys again
- 'It's a beautiful story': There's not always a tomorrow to say you're sorry or make things right
- Tell husband you're not talking to her... maybe tell him why
- Burke will be back; he's just that good
- Big Blue will have one helluva punter
- Political opportunity knocks to abolish Senate
- Mount Carmel Clinic: An oasis of acceptance in a judgmental world
- New Blue stadium lives up to the hype; now it's up to you
- Cancer doesn't care who it may kill
- Goodbye, Susan; a privilege to know you
- Twins are theirs, but province doesn't agree
- Bun Brouhaha: Kitchen staff's snap firing worthy of reality TV
- Beloved piece of Winnipeg's music history deserves better
- A new mom's booze-fuelled hell
- Facebook pokes Manitoba
- Katz bogeys again
- Dugouts could change the game
- Winter is coming
- White sucker right for Manitoba
- A new mom's booze-fuelled hell
- Tick season means pets at risk of Lyme disease
- Tapping sweetness from birch trees
- More than a new boss
- Political opportunity knocks to abolish Senate
- 'It's a beautiful story': There's not always a tomorrow to say you're sorry or make things right
- New Blue stadium lives up to the hype; now it's up to you
- Late deal in workplace sex-harassment case
- A new mom's booze-fuelled hell
- Explore Desire seminars to 'push the boundaries'
- Going gluten-free doesn't mean giving up foods you love
- Cancer doesn't care who it may kill
- Tapping sweetness from birch trees
- Mount Carmel Clinic: An oasis of acceptance in a judgmental world
- Katz bogeys again
- Twins are theirs, but province doesn't agree
- 'It's a beautiful story': There's not always a tomorrow to say you're sorry or make things right
- Bun Brouhaha: Kitchen staff's snap firing worthy of reality TV
- Dugouts could change the game
- Happily selling shoes at age 89
- Facebook pokes Manitoba
- White sucker right for Manitoba
- New Blue stadium lives up to the hype; now it's up to you
- Selinger's ability to sell case weak link in tax-hike plan
- Emotional roller-coaster
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.