Historic novel The Purchase also shortlisted for Rogers Writers’ Trust prize
Author Linda Spalding has won the Governor-General's Award for her novel The Purchase.
MONTREAL — Toronto writer Linda Spalding has won the $25,000 Governor-General’s Literary Award for Fiction for her historical novel, “The Purchase.”
It’s the story of an 18th-century Quaker-turned-slave owner, a character she based loosely on one of her own ancestors.
“The Purchase” — published by McClelland & Stewart — was also shortlisted for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize.
Born in Kansas, Spalding moved to Toronto from Hawaii in 1982 after marrying writer Michael Ondaatje.
She previously wrote the acclaimed work of non-fiction, “Who Named the Knife.”
Other recipients of the Governor-General’s Awards include Saskatchewan-raised Ross King, who took the non-fiction prize for “Leonardo and the Last Supper” and Nova Scotia’s Catherine Banks, who picked up the drama award for “Sambro.”
The jury said Spalding’s “The Purchase” was “refreshingly free of retrospective judgment.”
The author has said she read slave narratives, medicinal primers and even a PhD thesis she found online to get a sense of 18th century Virginia, where the novel takes place.
Each year, about 1,600 books are submitted to the Governor-General’s Awards for consideration before judges narrow the list down to a handful of finalists in each category and language group.
The awards have been given out for the last 75 years.
It’s the story of an 18th-century Quaker-turned-slave owner, a character she based loosely on one of her own ancestors.
“The Purchase” — published by McClelland & Stewart — was also shortlisted for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize.
Born in Kansas, Spalding moved to Toronto from Hawaii in 1982 after marrying writer Michael Ondaatje.
She previously wrote the acclaimed work of non-fiction, “Who Named the Knife.”
Other recipients of the Governor-General’s Awards include Saskatchewan-raised Ross King, who took the non-fiction prize for “Leonardo and the Last Supper” and Nova Scotia’s Catherine Banks, who picked up the drama award for “Sambro.”
The jury said Spalding’s “The Purchase” was “refreshingly free of retrospective judgment.”
The author has said she read slave narratives, medicinal primers and even a PhD thesis she found online to get a sense of 18th century Virginia, where the novel takes place.
Each year, about 1,600 books are submitted to the Governor-General’s Awards for consideration before judges narrow the list down to a handful of finalists in each category and language group.
The awards have been given out for the last 75 years.
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Linda+Spalding+wins+award+Purchase/7540299/story.html#ixzz2C8AozJFH
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