English Fiction
GABRIELLA GOLIGER
Girl Unwrapped (Arsenal Pulp Press)
Jury Statement
A finely detailed and richly textured novel, Girl Unwrapped probes the coming of age of Toni Goldblatt in post-War Montreal, from the 1950s through to the 1970s. An only child and an outsider, Toni comes to terms with her lesbianism, then struggles to tell her mother and find a peer group to which she belongs. Girl Unwrapped is a poignant, compassionate, and frequently humourous, novel that captures the contradictions and the perseverance of the human heart.
Jurors: Lori Weber, Blaine Marchand and Ian Roy
Biography
Gabriella Goliger's first book, Song of Ascent, won the 2001 Upper Canada Writer's Craft Award. She was co-winner of the 1997 Journey Prize for short fiction, a finalist for this prize in 1995, and won the PRISM international Award in 1993. Her work has been published in a number of journals and anthologies including Best New American Voices 2000 and Contemporary Jewish Writing in Canada.
English Non-Fiction
ERIC ENNO TAMM
The Horse that Leaps Through Clouds: A Tale of Espionage, the Silk Road and the Rise of Modern China (Douglas and McIntyre)
Jury Statement
The Horse that Leaps Through Clouds retraces a 1906 journey across Asia by Baron Gustaf Mannerheim, a spy in the service of Russia's Tsar Nicholas II. By following in the Baron's footsteps on his own personal and sometimes clandestine journey, over the same vast territory from St. Petersburg to Beijing nearly one hundred years later, author Eric Enno Tamm builds toward a memorable portrayal of the state of modern China. Tamm’s account, which combines vivid travelogue, historic inquiry and personal essay, richly rewards readers with a rare blend of epic sweep and intimate meditation.
Jurors: John Geddes, Sarah Jennings and Kerry Pither
Biography
Eric Enno Tamm is an author, journalist and analyst with more than 15 years’ experience in the media and non-profit sector. His first book, Beyond the Outer Shores: The Untold Story of Ed Ricketts, was a Kiriyama Prize Notable Book in 2005. Eric currently lives and works in Ottawa.
