The Only Shopping List You Really Need...

Well, it's book nominee season people!  The time of year where I plot my reading for those cold, wintry nights and gift lists.  So many to choose from, now that the Man Booker (International), the Giller (Canada) and the Writer's Trust (Canada) have all announced their shortlists.  Here we go, starting with my favourite: 

"The Writers’ Trust of Canada was founded by five notable Canadian authors — Margaret Atwood, the late Pierre Berton, Graeme Gibson, the late Margaret Laurence, and David Young — to encourage a flourishing writing community in this country."

Started in 1976, I'd say they've achieved their mission with the abundance of Canadian literature filling bookstore shelves.  

With a $60,000 prize, their shortlist for 2013:

Next up, the Giller, another award for Canadian fiction. Begun 20 years ago and offered by a man in honour of his (late) writing wife, the winner receives $70,000 and an incredible boost in sales.  

This year's all-Canadian short list:

And last but not least, the International Man-Booker. Going on 45 years now, the author 
criteria is UK, Commonwealth, Ireland and Zimbabwe, worth ₤50,000!  And for next year, 
those smart Brits, they've changed the rules!  As of next year's nominees, the author can be

 from anywhere in the world, as long as the book is published in the UK.  

Where does the Man-Booker name come from, you may ask?  Well, Booker was a large 

UK food wholesaler, and Man is the title sponsor,of  an investment company.  I was hoping 

it would be a little more exciting than that...

This year's shortlist:

Of interest?

• Lisa Moore's Caught and Lynn Coady's Hellgoing are nominated twice

• I'm shocked that Joseph Boyden's The Orenda made the Giller longlist, but was left off the shortlist! Maybe its because of his 2006 Writer's Trust win for Three Day Road (age 40), and his 2008 Giller win for Through Black Spruce.  He's a Native Canadian living in New Orleans - rich, rich confluence.

And finally?

The 2013 Nobel Prize for Literature will be awarded this week, its 100th anniversary. This guarantees to enrich anyone's bookshelves, since the Nobel is awarded to an author based on their body of work. Its highly secretive, no long and shortlists.  Rudyard Kipling was the youngest winner, age 42. 

Whatever happened to the Pulitzer??

And like I began, the only shopping list you really need!