Click 2009 Shadow Giller Winner
Alright, the Shadow Giller Jury deliberated and we have come up with our winner. It was a unanimous choice, though all of us enjoyed the shortlist. Please click here to be transported to KevinfromCanada’s blog where the winner is announced. It also contains details about when the real Giller winner will be selected, as well as an announcement that Alison Gzowski, fellow Shadow Giller Jury member will cameo on Canadian national television to announce our pick during Bravo TV’s Giller coverage.
Fellow Shadow Jury member Alison sat on a panel for The Globe and Mail discussing the Giller shortlist. Way to go, Alison! It is very interesting reading. Click here to read it. You’ll notice I strongly disagree with John about The Year of the Flood, and I also disagree that The Winter Vault should win. It had its moments, surely, and you could see the ambition, but I’m not one who thinks ambition is that important if the execution fails. Obviously, there’s plenty of room to debate how well this book was executed. I’m sympathetic to both The Golden Mean and The Disappeared, but I stick by my pick of The Bishop’s Man as the best constructed and subtly substantial of all the books. It is also ambitious, and MacIntyre pulls it off.
I want to reemphasize, though, that this is a list worth reading. I was so disappointed in 2008′s Booker prize that I didn’t get too involved in prize juries this year, but I’m glad I did with this one.
It sounds like you had fun!
Hope you are invited for next year’s Shadow Jury.
I had a blast, Isabel! And thanks for the well wishing for next year!
He will be invited back next year, Isabel — I meant to include that note when I posted our results but will now have to let it wait until I post on the “real jury” results.
By the way, Isabel, I’m thrilled to be involved again!