2015 Governor General's Literary Awards

The Governor General’s Literary Awards, administered by the Canada Council for the Arts, are Canada’s oldest and most prestigious awards for English- and French-language Canadian literature.

Non-Fiction, Author of six books on subjects related to bees, Mark L. Winston wins his first Governor General’s Literary Award in 2015 with Bee Time: Lessons from the Hive. In his exquisite Bee Time: Lessons from the Hive, Mark L. Winston distills a life’s devotion to the study of bees into a powerful and lyrical meditation on humanity. This compelling book inspires us to re-evaluate our own relationships both with each other and with the natural world. Vital reading for our time.

Fiction, Nicolas Dickner wins his first Governor General’s Literary Award in 2015 with his third novel, Six degrés de liberté. Rich and skilfully constructed, Six degrés de liberté is a tender and finely written novel. Nicolas Dickner, well versed in the advances of technology, describes with intelligence and humour the ravages of globalization and unbridled capitalism while creating characters who push back all the boundaries.

Fiction, Guy Vanderhaeghe wins his third Governor General’s Literary Award with his collection of short stories Daddy Lenin and Other Stories. Guy Vanderhaeghe’s Daddy Lenin and Other Stories is the work of an assured writer who needs no pyrotechnics to keep us reading. Each story is superbly crafted, razor-sharp and wickedly funny. The reader is carried along in the hands of a master, a seasoned professional at the top of his game.

Group photo of Their Excellencies with the 2015 Governor General's Literary Awards laureates.

They were established by former Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir (also known as John Buchan, author of The Thirty-Nine Steps.) The first awards honoured books published in 1936, and have since evolved into Canada’s pre-eminent national literary prizes. In addition to the monetary award, each laureate receives a bound copy of their winning book.

He delivered a speech on this occasion: "One of the wonderful things about these awards is that your books were chosen from among hundreds of contenders by a jury of your peers—other talented writers, translators and illustrators. They know what it takes to craft a great book, and they recognize excellence when they see it. So I’d like to thank the jury members for their close and careful reading."

His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, accompanied by Her Excellency Sharon Johnston, presented the 2015 Governor General’s Literary Awards to 17 laureates during a ceremony at Rideau Hall on December 2, 2015.

Mr. Simon Brault, Director and CEO of the Canada Council for the Arts, also delivered a speech.

Non-Fiction, Jean-Philippe Warren receives his first Governor General’s Literary Award in 2015 with Honoré Beaugrand : la plume et l’épée (1848-1906). In Honoré Beaugrand: la plume et l’épée (1848-1906), Jean-Philippe Warren explores the many facets of the cosmopolitan, complex and fascinating personality of a major figure in the history of Quebec. The author allies intellectual rigour and originality in his stylistic approach.

Drama, David Yee wins his first Governor General’s Literary Award in 2015 with carried away on the crest of a wave. David Yee’s carried away on the crest of a wave is a play to make the stars sing. Full of indelible imagery and fresh, powerful language, it gives a human face to an almost unimaginably huge catastrophe and leaves us with a boundless sense of hope. To read it is to be moved.

Children’s Literature - Text, Caroline Pignat wins her second Governor General’s Literary Award with The Gospel Truth. The young adult novel is the powerful and poignant story of 16-year-old Phoebe, a slave girl in 1858 Virginia. Written in lyrical and elegant free verse, it is an unflinching look at the brutality of slavery and Phoebe’s struggle for freedom and truth. Ultimately, this is a story of hope.

Children's Literature - Illustrated Books, Patrick Doyon and André Marois are joint winners of their first Governor General’s Literary Award with Le voleur de sandwichs. The book by André Marois is a captivating and cleverly plotted story that harmonizes beautifully with the originality and skill of Patrick Doyon’s graphic style. The two have succeeded in creating a well-paced, funny and dynamic work that is a delightful read.

Children’s Literature – Illustrated books, JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith win their first Governor General’s Literary Award in 2015 with Sidewalk Flowers. The book, with a poignant concept by JonArno Lawson and tender and evocative illustrations by Sydney Smith, is a wordless tale that is simple and complex, wistful and big-hearted. This perfect collaboration is a celebration of solitude and unnoticed acts of kindness.

French Translation, Lori Saint-Martin and Paul Gagné win their third Governor General’s Literary Award in 2015 in the translation category. In this new translation of Mordecai Richler’s Solomon Gursky Was Here, Lori Saint-Martin and Paul Gagné brilliantly render the energy, humour, irony and colour of a social fresco that spans five generations, taking us from the Old World to the New.

English Translation, Rhonda Mullins wins her first Governor General’s Literary Award in 2015 with Twenty-One Cardinals, a translation of Jocelyne Saucier’s Les héritiers de la mine. Rhonda Mullins’ translation of Twenty-One Cardinals expertly embodies the multiple voices in Jocelyne Saucier’s complex novel. More than inhabiting the world of one writer, Mullins single-handedly performs the roles of an entire cast of characters. As a translator, her virtuosic deftness is in the restrained power of her writing.

Poetry, Joël Pourbaix takes home his first Governor General’s Literary Award in 2015 with Le mal du pays est un art oublié. Le mal du pays est un art oublié resonates with the echoes of a subtle presence. Open and attuned to what is, this poetry invites reflection. Joël Pourbaix is curious about the world, and he explores the enigma of the everyday: “I walk the line between the visible and the invisible; what more could you ask for?”

Poetry, Robyn Sarah wins her first Governor General’s Literary Award for her collection My Shoes Are Killing Me. Robyn Sarah’s My Shoes Are Killing Me has lyrical power, and is a richly inventive, precise, meditative collection. Here “fire can kindle fire” the way excellence can kindle excellence. This is a transformative work that continuously surprises the reader.

Drama, Fabien Cloutier wins his first Governor General’s Literary Award in 2015 with Pour réussir un poulet. In gritty, rhythmic language, Fabien Cloutier presents the kind of working-class characters who aren’t often given a chance to speak in the theatre, and he does so with audacity and without condescension. Pour réussir un poulet is a raw and cruel portrait of the exploitation of human misery. You won’t come away from this play unscathed.

Children's Literature - Text, Louis-Philippe Hébert wins his first Governor General’s Literary Award in 2015 with his poem Marie Réparatrice. In a candid and poignant voice, Marie Réparatrice draws us into the shimmering universe of an eight-year-old girl. Louis-Philippe Hébert’s story in free verse breathes with the rhythm of childhood. Filled with subtlety and simplicity, the story pulls the reader into an intense spiral of emotion and we are left dazzled by its poetic beauty.