THE TORONTO BOOK PRIZE - $10K TO THE GOOD
Next Stop The Winner’s Circle For Three Historians?
Will the trend continue? Over the years the Toronto Book Award Gods have looking kindly on Toronto Caribbean and Black authors when it comes to picking the best book of the year which includes Toronto content in its pages.
Firebrand BLM writer Desmond Cole, Poet Dionne Brand, Malvern’s David Chariandy, radio founder Denham Jolly, and novelist Rabindranath Maharaj all have won the annual top prize of $10,000.
The city’s annual award has recently released the names of the five 2022 finalists, and one of them has an opportunity to win the Prize the second time around.
Three distinguished scholars of Black history tell that powerful story of the 40,000 slaves who escaped to Canada from the US. Hundreds and hundresd passed through Toronto, many of them stayed. The detailed social and political history is brought to life in dozens of remarkable profiles of the women, men and families who made that dangerous journey.
Now in 2022 the book is back and is nominated for the book award. Updated by three historians Adrienne Shadd, Afua Cooper, Karolyn Smardz Frost the book has been, according to the judges “thoroughly revised and updated with much new information including a chapter on the archaeology of Toronto’s African Canadian past”
The book is up against titles by Camilla Gibb (The Relatives), Falen Johnson (Two Indians), H.N Khan (Wrong Side of The Court), and, Sarah Polley (Run Toward the Danger).
Established by Toronto City Council in 1974, the Toronto Book Awards honour books of literary merit that are inspired by the city. The annual awards offer $15,000 in prize money with shortlisted authors receiving $1,000 each and the winner taking home $10,000.
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