The Ottawa Book Awards are coordinated through the Office of Cultural Affairs. The awards recognize published books of literary excellence, written by local authors residing in Ottawa. From 1986 to 2003, the awards alternated annually between the categories of fiction and non-fiction. As of 2004, the awards will include submissions in both English and French. A prize of $2,500 will be awarded in each of the following four categories: English fiction, English non-fiction, French fiction and French non-fiction. Children’s books are eligible for submission.
Ottawa Book Awards: Non-fiction
Denise Chong, Egg on Mao: the Story of an Ordinary Man Who Defaced an Icon and Unmasked a Dictatorship
(Random House Canada)Andrew Horrall, Bringing Art to Life: a Biography of Alan Jarvis
(McGill – Queen’s University Press)Sarah Jennings, Art and Politics: The History of the National Arts Centre
(Dundurn Press)Heather Menzies, Enter Mourning: a Memoir on Death, Dementia, & Coming Hom
e (Key Porter Books)Daniel Poliquin, René Lévesque
(Penguin Group Canada)Kate Jaimet, Dunces Anonymous
(Orca Book Publishers)Sheila James, In the Wake of Loss
(Ronsdale Press)Susan McMaster, Crossing Arcs: Alzheimer’s, My Mother and Me
(Black Moss Press)Craig Poile, True Concessions
(Goose Lane Editions)Prix du livre d’Ottawa: fiction
Andrée Christensen et Jacques Flamand, Géologie de l’intime (Les Éditions du Vermillion)
Jean Mohsen Fahmy, Frères ennemis (VLB éditeur)
Françoise Lepage, Les chercheurs d’étoiles (Les Éditions L’Interligne)
Claire Rochon, Fragments de Sifnos (Éditions du Noroît)
Michel A. Thérien, Terre de faïence (Les Éditions David)
No award will be presented in French non-fiction this year.
2009
English Fiction: Andrew Steinmetz, Eva’s Threepenny Theatre
English Non-Fiction: Kerry Pither, Dark Days: The Story of Four Canadians Tortured in the
Name of Fighting Terror
Prix du Livre d’Ottawa (French Fiction and French Non-Fiction winners)
Création littéraire en français : Margaret Michèle Cook, Chronos à sa table de travail
Non-fiction en français : Maurice Henrie, Esprit de sel
English Fiction
ANDREW STEINMETZ, Eva’s Threepenny Theatre (Gaspereau Press)
In an unusual blend of fiction and memoir, Andrew Steinmetz tells the story of this great-Aunt Eva who performed in the first workshop production of Bertolt Brecht's masterpiece The Threepenny Opera, in 1928. Steinmetz takes the story back to Eva's childhood in Germany, with her invalid mother and domineering siblings, the pronouncement of the family's Jewish origins, and her escape to Canada.
English Non-Fiction
KERRY PITHER, Dark Days: The Story of Four Canadians Tortured in the Name of Fighting Terror (Penguin Group Canada)
Dark Days recounts how a Canadian national security investigation went terribly wrong, culminating in the overseas detention and torture of four Canadian Muslim men. It chronicles the activities of the investigation itself, and the experiences of those it targeted—Ahmad El Maati, Abdullah Almalki, Maher Arar and Muayyed Nureddin. Two inquiries have since effectively cleared their names, and corroborate Pither’s account of Canadian complicity in their brutal torture.
Past Winners
Year |
Ottawa Book Award |
Prix du livre d'Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
2008 Fiction |
Elizabeth Hay, Late Nights on Air |
Andrée Christensen, |
2008 Non-Fiction |
Tim Cook, At the Sharp End: Canadians Fighting the Great War 1914-1916 |
|
2007 |
Janet Lunn, A Rebel’s Daughter |
Daniel Poliquin, La Kermesse |
2007 |
Charlotte Gray, Reluctant Genius: The Passionate Life and Inventive Mind of Alexander Graham Bell |
|
2006 |
John-James Ford, Bonk on the Head |
Gilles Lacombe, Trafiquante de lumière |
2006 |
Heather Menzies, NO TIME: Stress and the Crisis of Modern Life |
Réjean Robidoux, D’éloge et de critique |
2005 |
Valerie Knowles, From Telegrapher to Titan: The Life of William C. Van Horne |
|
2005 |
Frances Itani, Poached Egg on Toast |
Maurice Henrie, Les roses et le verglas |
2004 |
Madelaine Drohan, Making A Killing: How And Why Corporations Use Armed Force To Do Business |
Mila Younes, Ma mère, ma fille, ma sœur |
2004 |
Elizabeth Hay, Garbo Laughs |
Maurice Henrie, Mémoire Vive |
2003 |
Brian Doyle, Mary Ann Alice |
Jean Mohsen Fahmy, Ibn Kaldoun : l'Honneur et la Disgrâce |
2002 |
Anna Heilman, Never Far Away |
Françoise Lepage, Histoire de la littérature pour la jeunesse |
2001 |
Alan Cumyn, Burridge Unbound |
Nicole Champeau, Dans les pas de la louve |
2000 |
Roy MacGregor, A Life in the Bush: Lessons From My Father |
Patricia Smart, Les femmes du Refus Global |
1999 |
Alan Cumyn, Man of Bone |
Pierre Raphaël Pelletier, Il faut crier l'injure |
1998 |
Dr. Isaac Vogelfanger, Red Tempest |
René Dionne, Histoire de la Littérature Franco-Ontarienne des origines à nos jours |
1997 |
Patrick Kavanagh, Gaff Topsails |
Maurice Henrie, Le Balcon dans le ciel |
1996 |
Clyde Sanger, Malcolm MacDonald: Bringing an End to Empire |
Dr. Elisabeth J. Lacelle, L'incontournable échange. Conversations oecuméniques et pluridisciplinaires |
1995 |
John Barton, Notes Towards a Family Tree |
Andrée Christensen, Noces d'ailleurs |
1994 |
Penelope Williams, That Other Place: A Personal Account of Breast Cancer |
Gilberte Paquette, Dans le sillage d'Élizabeth Bruyère |
1993 |
Rita Donovan, Daisy Circus |
Maurice Henrie, Le Pont sur le temps |
1992 |
John Sawatsky, Mulroney: The Politics of Ambition |
|
1991 |
Rita Donovan, Dark Jewels |
Daniel Poliquin, Visions de Jude |
1990 |
Roy MacGregor, Chief: The Fearless Vision of Billy Diamond |
|
1989 |
|
Maurice Henrie, La chambre à mourir |
1988 |
Patricia Morley, Kurelek: A Biography |
|
1987 |
John Metcalf, Adult Entertainment |
|
1986 |
Joan Finnigan, Legacies, Legends and Lies |
| Year |
Ottawa Book Award |
Prix du livre d'Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
2007 |
Janet Lunn, A Rebel’s Daughter |
Daniel Poliquin, La Kermesse |
2007 |
Charlotte Gray, Reluctant Genius: The Passionate Life and Inventive Mind of Alexander Graham Bell |
|
2006 |
John-James Ford, Bonk on the Head |
Gilles Lacombe, Trafiquante de lumière |
2006Non-Fiction |
Heather Menzies, NO TIME: Stress and the Crisis of Modern Life |
Réjean Robidoux, D’éloge et de critique |
2005 |
Valerie Knowles, From Telegrapher to Titan: The Life of William C. Van Horne |
|
2005 |
Frances Itani, Poached Egg on Toast |
Maurice Henrie, Les roses et le verglas |
2004 |
Madelaine Drohan, Making A Killing: How And Why Corporations Use Armed Force To Do Business |
Mila Younes, Ma mère, ma fille, ma sœur |
2004 |
Elizabeth Hay, Garbo Laughs |
Maurice Henrie, Mémoire Vive |
2003 |
Brian Doyle, Mary Ann Alice |
Jean Mohsen Fahmy, Ibn Kaldoun : l'Honneur et la Disgrâce |
2002 |
Anna Heilman, Never Far Away |
Françoise Lepage, Histoire de la littérature pour la jeunesse |
2001 |
Alan Cumyn, Burridge Unbound |
Nicole Champeau, Dans les pas de la louve |
2000 |
Roy MacGregor, A Life in the Bush: Lessons From My Father |
Patricia Smart, Les femmes du Refus Global |
1999 |
Alan Cumyn, Man of Bone |
Pierre Raphaël Pelletier, Il faut crier l'injure |
1998 |
Dr. Isaac Vogelfanger, Red Tempest |
René Dionne, Histoire de la Littérature Franco-Ontarienne des origines à nos jours |
1997 |
Patrick Kavanagh, Gaff Topsails |
Maurice Henrie, Le Balcon dans le ciel |
1996 |
Clyde Sanger, Malcolm MacDonald: Bringing an End to Empire |
Dr. Elisabeth J. Lacelle, L'incontournable échange. Conversations oecuméniques et pluridisciplinaires |
1995 |
John Barton, Notes Towards a Family Tree |
Andrée Christensen, Noces d'ailleurs |
1994 |
Penelope Williams, That Other Place: A Personal Account of Breast Cancer |
Gilberte Paquette, Dans le sillage d'Élizabeth Bruyère |
1993 |
Rita Donovan, Daisy Circus |
Maurice Henrie, Le Pont sur le temps |
1992 |
John Sawatsky, Mulroney: The Politics of Ambition |
|
1991 |
Rita Donovan, Dark Jewels |
Daniel Poliquin, Visions de Jude |
1990 |
Roy MacGregor, Chief: The Fearless Vision of Billy Diamond |
|
1989 |
Maurice Henrie, La chambre à mourir |
|
1988 |
Patricia Morley, Kurelek: A Biography |
|
1987 |
John Metcalf, Adult Entertainment |
|
1986 |
Joan Finnigan, Legacies, Legends and Lies |
