Margaret Atwood and the RBC Foundation to unveil 2020 Shortlist Wed Jan 8 at King Eddie

RBC Taylor Prize will announce 2020 shortlist Wednesday January 8

The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation request the media to attend a conference to announce the finalists for the final 2020 RBC Taylor Prize. The 30-minute press conference will take place Wednesday, January 8, 2020 10 a.m. sharp in the Consort Bar (Main Level) of The Omni King Edward Hotel, 37 King Street East Toronto, ON M5C 1E9.

There will be five finalists on this year's shortlist, which the jury will select from the 12 longlisted books announced in early December 2019.
Who: Noreen Taylor, chair of the Charles Taylor Foundation and Prize founder. Presenting Sponsor Vijay Parmar, president of RBC PH&N Investment Counsel, RBC Taylor Prize 2020 Juror Margaret Atwood
What: RBC Taylor Prize Shortlist Announcement Event
Why: To hear the names of the shortlist authors/books and celebrate all 12 books on the RBC Taylor Prize longlist of Canadian Literary Nonfiction works.
When: Wednesday, January 08, 2020 at 10:00 am sharp
Where: The Omni King Edward Hotel, Main Level Consort Bar, 37 King Street East, downtown Toronto

The longlist Books for the 2020 RBC Taylor Prize are:

Rush to Danger: Medics in the Line of Fire by Ted Barris, published by Harper Collins Canada
Bush Runner: The Adventures of Pierre-Esprit Radisson by Mark Bourrie, published by Biblioasis
The Grandmaster: Magnus Carlsen and the Match That Made Chess Great Again by Brin-Jonathan Butler, published by Simon & Schuster
Had it Coming: What's Fair in the Age of #MeToo by Robyn Doolittle, published by Allen Lane
We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir by Samra Habib, published by Viking Canada
In My Own Moccasins: A Memoir of Resilience by Helen Knott, published by University of Regina Press
Highway of Tears: A True Story of Racism, Indifference and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls by Jessica McDiarmid, published by Doubleday Canada
The Regency Years: During Which Jane Austen Writes, Napoleon Fights, Byron Makes Love and Britain Becomes Modern by Robert Morrison, published by W.W. Norton
Overrun: Dispatches from the Asian Carp Crisis by Andrew Reeves, published by ECW Press
The Mongolian Chronicles: A Story of Eagles, Demons and Empires by Allen Smutylo, published by Goose Lane Editions
The Reality Bubble: Blind Spots, Hidden Truths, and the Dangerous Illusions that Shape Our World by Ziya Tong, published by Allen Lane
The Mosquito: A Human History of our Deadliest Predator by Timothy C. Winegard, published by Allen Lane

About The RBC Taylor Prize:

2020 marks the 20th anniversary of the RBC Taylor Prize, which commemorates Charles Taylor's pursuit of excellence in the field of literary non-fiction. Awarded to the author whose book best combines a superb command of the English language, an elegance of style, and a subtlety of thought and perception, the Prize consists of $5,000 for each finalist, and a further $25,000 for the winner. All authors are presented with a custom leather-bound version of their shortlisted book at the awards ceremony.
The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation are Vijay Parmar, David Staines, Edward Taylor, Nadina Taylor, and Noreen Taylor. The Manager is Sheila Kay. The jurors for the 2020 RBC Taylor Prize are: Margaret Atwood, Coral Ann Howells and Peter Theroux.

For further information: For further information: Media contact: Stephen Weir & Associates, Stephen Weir: 416-489-5868 | cell: 416-801-3101 | stephen@stephenweir.com, @sweirsweir

Short List for RBC Taylor Prize Is Full Of Surprisze

-->

RBC Taylor Prize Jury Names 2019’s Five Best Books in Cdn Literary Non-Fiction

At a standing-room-only press conference held in downtown Toronto, the RBC Taylor Prize jury announced the five finalists for the eighteenth RBC Taylor Prize, selected from their previously announced ten-title longlist. In all, the jury, composed of Camilla Gibb, Roy MacGregor and Rt. Hon. Beverley McLachlin read and evaluated over 115 non-fiction books by Canadian writers submitted by Canadian and international publishers.

The shortlist and jury citations for the 2018 RBC Taylor Prize are:

Just Let Me Look at You: On Fatherhood, by Bill Gaston, published by Hamish Hamilton/Penguin Canada

Bill Gaston sets out on a solitary journey eighty miles across the Salish Sea in a boat he describes as “a piece of junk.” He’s heading back to the bittersweet place where he spent time as a child living aboard a boat with his father, learning to fish and learning to be wary of the fluctuations in his father’s moods when he drank. This is a quiet, meditative and tender-hearted exploration of childhood injury and its legacy across generations.

Jan in 35 Pieces: A Memoir in Music, by Ian Hampton, published by Porcupine’s Quill

Cellist Ian Hampson has created a lyrical reflection on the world of music and classical composers and musicians in the seven decades since World War II. Beautifully written, the book is structured around thirty-five pieces of memorable music. In vivid strokes, Hampson introduces us to the great conductors, performers and composers he encountered as a musician in England, California and finally, the west coast of Canada. Along the way, he introduces us to some of the finest music the world has produced. By turns reflective and humorous, this beautifully paced book chronicles the trials and triumphs of a life devoted to music and defined by the people he worked with and loved.

Lands of Lost Borders: Out of Bounds on the Silk Road, by Kate Harris, published by Knopf Canada.

From her vantage point of a student of the history of science, explorer and adventurer, Kate Harris presents a rare and unique vision of world, and explores the nature of boundaries. Unable to realize her childhood dream of travelling to Mars, she decides to trace Marco Polo’s Silk Road by bicycle. Vivid descriptions of the places and people she meets inspire deep and eclectic reflections on the nature of the world, wilderness, and the struggle of humans to define and limit them. This is a book that changes how one thinks about the world and the human compulsion to define it.

All Things Consoled: A Daughter’s Memoir, by Elizabeth Hay, published by McClelland & Stewart

In this brilliant and honest memoir, Elizabeth Hay traces the final decline of her parents — her father, a proud and ambitious school teacher possessed of a terrifying temper and moods of melancholy, and her mother, who kept the family peace and reconciled herself to life through painting. As she cares for her parents in their final days, Elizabeth — the difficult daughter — describes the truth of who they are and what they did. Tender, witty and brutally honest, the book tears open the cloak of shared secrecy to bare the dynamics of a family — the fears, sibling rivalries, joys, disappointments and grievances that have lain unacknowledged through the decades.

Mamaskatch: A Cree Coming of Age, by Darrel McLeod, published by Douglas & MacIntyre.

A torturously-beautiful memoir of growing up in a world of violence and family trauma. McLeod’s writing is lyrical and offers a powerful examination of contemporary issues, from sexual self-identification to the scars of residential school to the contemporary search for reconciliation. “Mamaskatch” means “shared dream” in Cree, and while there are unavoidable nightmares along the journey, there are also dreams of hope, at times of exquisite beauty and renewed pride.

Noreen Taylor, founder of the Prize and chair of the Charles Taylor Foundation, spoke at the event and made these comments: “One of the many joys of my “job” is being brought into the orbit, on the page and in person, of the many astounding storytellers and truthsayers of our country. The searches that they describe — for truth, for reconciliation of all sorts, and for beauty, in people, art, nature — give us pause to consider the world and the people around us, and give us hope”.

Also in attendance was Vijay Parmar, president of RBC PH&N Investment Counsel, who added: “Congratulations to each of the authors who have been shortlisted for this year’s RBC Taylor Prize. This list reflects the best of Canadian non-fiction writers and celebrates their achievements. RBC Wealth Management is proud to sponsor the Prize as it helps put our country’s distinctive voice on the global literary stage by shining a spotlight on our talented writers from coast-to-coast.”

Public events already confirmed for the finalists include a free 90-minute Round Table Discussion with the shortlisted authors in the Brigantine Room at Harbourfront, hosted by Toronto Star Books Editor, Deborah Dundas, on Thursday February 28, 2018 at 7pm presented by the Toronto International Festival of Authors; and the Ben McNally Authors Brunch on Sunday March 3rd, at the Omni King Edward Hotel in downtown Toronto (for tickets, please contact Ben McNally Books at 416 361-0032 or visit benmcnallybooks.com).

The RBC Taylor Prize winner will be revealed at a gala luncheon on Monday March 4th, 2018. The Prize luncheon will once again be held at the Omni King Edward Hotel in downtown Toronto.

About The RBC Taylor Prize

Established in 1998 by the trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation and first awarded in 2000, 2019 marks the eighteenth awarding of the RBC Taylor Prize, which commemorates Charles Taylor’s pursuit of excellence in the field of literary non-fiction. Awarded to the author whose book best combines a superb command of the English language, an elegance of style, and a subtlety of thought and perception, the Prize consists of $5,000 for each of the finalists, and a further $25,000 for the winner. All authors are presented with a custom leather bound version of their shortlisted book at the awards ceremony. All finalists receive promotional support for their nominated titles.

Sharing a commitment to emerging Canadian talent, The Charles Taylor Foundation and RBC will also grant the sixth annual RBC Taylor Prize Emerging Writers Award. Shortly after the announcement of the 2019 Prize, its winner will name their choice of emerging author to receive this $10,000 award.

Continuing that commitment to emerging Canadian talent, we will again present the RBC Taylor Prize Emergent Author Mentorship Program, of nationally selected non-fiction writers from several of the many prestigious writing programs in Canada. The five selected Emergent writers will be paired with a shortlisted author and will travel to Toronto for professional development and mentorship.

The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation are: Vijay Parmar, David Staines, Edward Taylor, Nadina Taylor, and Noreen Taylor. The Prize Manager is Sheila Kay.

The presenting sponsor of the RBC Taylor Prize is RBC Wealth Management. Its media sponsors are The Globe and Mail, Cision, Quill & Quire magazine; its in-kind sponsors are Ben McNally Books, Event Source, TIFA, and the Omni King Edward Hotel. Open Book is a Friend of the Prize.

To download high-resolution images of the shortlisted authors

Canada's Most Prestigious Prize for Literary Non-Fiction gathers industry for important announcement

Jury will choose up to five books from its longlist

The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation request the media to attend a conference to announce the finalists for the 2016 RBC Taylor Prize. The 30-minute press conference will take place Wednesday, January 10, 2018 10 a.m. sharp  in the Consort Bar (Main Level) of The Omni King Edward Hotel, 37 King Street East Toronto, ON M5C 1E9.

There will be up to five authors/books on this year's shortlist. There will be up to five authors/books on this year's shortlist, which the jury will select from the 10 longlisted books announced in early December 2017. 

Who: Noreen Taylor, chair of the Charles Taylor Foundation and Prize founder
Presenting Sponsor Vijay Parmar, president of RBC PH&N Investment Counsel, 
RBC Taylor Prize 2018 Jurors Christine Elliott, Anne Giardini, and James Polk
What: RBC Taylor Prize Shortlist Announcement Event
Why: To hear the names of the shortlist authors/books and celebrate all 10 books on the RBC Taylor Prize longlist
When: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at 10:00 am sharp
Where: The Omni King Edward Hotel, Main Level Consort Bar, 37 King Street East, downtown Toronto

The longlist Books for the 2018 RBC Taylor Prize are:

1. Island of the Blue Foxes: Disaster and Triumph on Bering's Great Voyage to Alaska by Stephen R. Bown (Canmore, AB), published by Douglas & McIntyre
2. How to Fall in Love with Anyone by Mandy Len Catron (Vancouver, BC), published by Simon & Schuster
3. Yardwork: A Biography of an Urban Place by Daniel Coleman (Hamilton, ON), published by Wolsak and Wynn Publishers
4. The Marriott Cell: An Epic Journey from Cairo's Scorpion Prison to Freedom by Mohamed Fahmy (Vancouver, BC) and Carol Shaben (Vancouver, BC), published by Random House Canada
5. Solitude: A Singular Life in a Crowded World by Michael Harris (Vancouver, BC), published by Doubleday Canada
6. Life on the Ground Floor: Letters From the Edge of Emergency Medicine by James Maskalyk (Toronto, ON), published by Doubleday Canada
7. A History of Canada in Ten Maps: Epic Stories of Charting a Mysterious Land by Adam Shoalts (Hamilton, ON), published by Allen Lane Canada / Penguin Random House Canada
8. Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City, by Tanya Talaga (Toronto, ON), published by House of Anansi Press
9. In the Name of Humanity by Max Wallace (Toronto, ON), published by Allen Lane Canada / Penguin Random House Canada
10. Apron Strings: Navigating Food and Family in France, Italy, and China by Jan Wong (Fredericton, NB), published by Goose Lane Edition

 The RBC Taylor Prize recognizes excellence in Canadian non-fiction writing and emphasizes the development of the careers of the authors it celebrates. The RBC Taylor Prize Shortlist will be announced at a news conference on Wednesday, January 10, 2018, and the winner revealed at a gala luncheon on Monday February 26, 2018.

RBC Taylor Prize Shortlist Press Conference At King Edward Hotel

Drop me a note if you would like to attend. Always starts on time. Never longer than 40 minutes.

RBC Taylor Prize 2016 Shortlist To Be Revealed January 13, 2016
Jury will choose up to five books from its longlist

TORONTO, Dec. 29, 2015 /CNW/ - The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation request the media to attend a conference to announce the finalists for the 2016 RBC Taylor Prize. The 30-minute press conference will take place Wednesday, January 13, 2016 10 a.m. sharp  in the Consort Bar  (Main Level ) of The Omni King Edward Hotel, 37 King Street East Toronto, ON M5C 1E9
The announcement of the fifteenth RBC Taylor Prize shortlist will be made by Prize Founder Noreen Taylor and members of the Prize Foundation.  The shortlisted authors will be celebrated and the winner announced at a gala awards luncheon on Monday, March 7th. at the Omni King Edward Hotel in downtown Toronto.
There will be up to five authors/books on this year's shortlist.  The 3-member jury will choose from the longlist announced earlier in December.
2016 RBC Taylor Prize Longlist:
Sixty: The Beginning of the End, or the End of the Beginning? By Ian Brown (Toronto), published by Random House Canada
'Membering by Austin Clarke (Toronto), published by Dundurn Press
Two Days in June: John F. Kennedy and the 48 Hours that Made History by Andrew Cohen (Ottawa), published by McClelland & Stewart
Road Trip Rwanda: A Journey Into the New Heart of Africa by Will Ferguson (Calgary), published by Viking Canada
This Is Happy by Camilla Gibb (Toronto), published by Doubleday Canada
Dispatches from the Front: Canada's Voice at War by David Halton (Ottawa), published by McClelland & Stewart
The Reason You Walk by Wab Kinew (Winnipeg), published by Viking Canada
Zoroaster's Children: & Other Travels by Marius Kociejowski (London, England), published by Biblioasis
Genius at Play: The Curious Mind of John Horton Conway by Siobhan Roberts (Toronto), published by Bloomsbury U.S.A.
Stalin's Daughter: The Extraordinary and Tumultuous Life of Svetlana Alliluyeva by Rosemary Sullivan (Toronto), published by HarperCollins Publishers
The Prison Book Club by Ann Walmsley (Toronto), published by Viking Canada
Into the Blizzard: Walking the Fields of the Newfoundland Dead by Michael Winter (Toronto), published by Doubleday Canada

About The RBC Taylor Prize

Established biennially in 1998 by the trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation, 2016 marks the fifteenth awarding of the RBC Taylor Prize, which commemorates Charles Taylor's pursuit of excellence in the field of literary non-fiction. Awarded to the author whose book best combines a superb command of the English language, an elegance of style, and a subtlety of thought and perception, the Prize consists of $25,000 for the winner and $2,000 for each of the remaining finalists, as well as promotional support to help all of the nominated books to stand out in the media, bookstores, and libraries.

RBC Taylor Emerging Writer Award

Established jointly by RBC and the Taylor Prize to promote emerging talent in non-fiction, the RBC Taylor Emerging Writer Award consists of a $10,000 cash prize, as well as the opportunity to be mentored by the RBC Taylor Prize winner.

The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation are: Michael Bradley, Vijay Parmar, David Staines, Edward Taylor, Nadina Taylor, and Noreen Taylor.
The presenting sponsor of the RBC Taylor Prize is RBC Wealth Management. Its media sponsors are The Globe and Mail (exclusive newspaper sponsor), CNW Group, The Huffington Post Canada, Maclean's magazine, and Quill & Quire magazine; its in-kind sponsors are Ben McNally Books, Event Source, IFOA, The Omni King Edward Hotel, and the Toronto Public Library Board.

To download high-resolution images of the longlisted authors and their book covers
www.rbctaylorprize.ca/2016/2016_longlist.zip

To download high-resolution images of the trustees and the jury www.rbctaylorprize.ca/2016/2016_trustees_and_jury.zip

For more information please visit: www.rbctaylorprize.ca.
RBC Taylor Prize on Twitter at www.twitter.com/taylorprize
Facebook At www.facebook.com/RBCTaylorPrize

For further information:
Media contact: Stephen Weir & Associates, Stephen Weir: 416-489-5868, cell: 416-801-3101, stephen@stephenweir.com

Five of Canada's best named to Taylor prize finalist list today

 

Noreen Taylor, founder of the RBC Taylor Prize, announces  the five books that have been named to the Prize's 2015 Finalist List.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015 • Toronto, Ontario: For immediate Release 

THE FINALISTS FOR THE FOURTEENTH RBC TAYLOR PRIZE

Shortlisted authors based in Ontario, Quebec and London, England

AT A NEWS CONFERENCE, held on Wednesday, January 14th, in Toronto, jurors Ms. Kevin Garland, Martin Levin, and Andrew Preston, named five authors as this year’s finalists for The 2015 RBC Taylor Prize.

The five finalists and their books are: They Left Us Everything by PLUM JOHNSON (Toronto, Ontario), published by Penguin Canada; One Day in August:The Untold Story Behind Canada’s Tragedy at Dieppe by DAVID O'KEEFE (Montreal, Quebec), published by Random House Canada; The Last Asylum: A Memoir of Madness in our Times by BARBARA TAYLOR (London, England), published by Hamish Hamilton Canada; And Home Was Kariakoo: A Memoir of East Africa by M. G. VASSANJI (Toronto, Ontario), published by Doubleday Canada; Boundless by KATHLEEN WINTER (Montreal, Quebec), published by House of Anansi Press.

“These five books represent not only the finest non-fiction written in Canada today but also represent the topics that Canadians find interesting,” said Prize founder Noreen Taylor. "Taken collectively, they present a fascinating glimpse of the lens we look through when we view ourselves, our history, and the world beyond our borders.”

"RBC Wealth Management is honoured to be the title sponsor of Canada’s most prestigious non-fiction prize,” said Vijay Parmar, President, RBC PH&N Investment Counsel. “The RBC Taylor Prize fosters literary excellence and aligns with RBC’s overall commitment to the arts. We strongly believe that art has the power to enrich our lives and enhance our communities and therefore are thrilled to play a part in helping to raise the profile of those writers who make an indelible mark on Canadian literature.”

The RBC Taylor Prize recognizes excellence in Canadian non-fiction writing and emphasizes the development of the careers of the authors it celebrates. All finalists will be supported by extensive publicity and promotional opportunities over the next two months. The five authors will take part in a free Round Table discussion at the Toronto Reference Library in downtown Toronto on Thursday February 26th at 7:00 pm. This public author event is sponsored by the International Festival of Authors (IFOA), The Toronto Public Library and The Globe and Mail newspaper. As well, they will appear on stage at The Globe and Mail / Ben McNally Authors’ Brunch on Sunday, March 1st at the Omni King Edward Hotel. For tickets:www.benmcnallybooks.com.

This will be the fourteenth awarding of The RBC Taylor Prize. The prize consists of $25,000 and a crystal trophy for the winning author and $2,000 for each of the runners-up as well as extensive national publicity and promotional support to help all books stand out in the national media and book retailers across the country. The winner of this year's prize will be announced at a gala luncheon and awards ceremony at The King Edward Hotel in downtown Toronto on Monday, March 2nd.

Sharing a commitment to emerging Canadian artists, The Charles Taylor Foundation and RBC will also grant the second annual RBC Taylor Prize Emerging Writers Award. Shortly after the March 2nd luncheon an emerging author will be selected by the 2015 RBC Taylor Prize winner.

At the Wednesday morning News Conference each jury citation for the five finalists and their books was read out. Those citations are as follows:

Plum Johnson for They Left Us Everything, published by Penguin Canada

The jury notes: “Beautifully observed and written with great warmth and wit,They Left Us Everything is an absorbing memoir of grief, growth, and decluttering. Plum Johnson must deal not merely with the legacy of her difficult, ill-matched parents, but is handed the burden of disposing of the seemingly endless contents of their 23-room Lake Ontario home, which becomes a character on its own in the telling. The task, which she initially thinks manageable, proves Herculean, far more complex than she’d imagined, involving understanding her past and packing up its contents, both literal and metaphorical. A story of love, loss, and legacy, written with compassion and humour, it subtly evokes T.S. Eliot’s lines: ‘We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.’”

David O’Keefe for One Day in August: The Untold Story Behind Canada’s Tragedy at Dieppe, published by Random House Canada

The jury notes: “Ever since news of its failure rippled across the Atlantic 72 years ago, the Dieppe raid has been a staple of Canadian history and a touchstone of our national identity. It is difficult to imagine that a historian could have anything genuinely new to say about it, yet David O’Keefe shows a new side to the story. Highly original and bracingly revisionist, One Day in August is that rare book that is able to say something new about something so familiar. Based on extensive research in official records in Canada and Britain, many of them previously undiscovered or long-forgotten, One Day in August is historical writing at its best: engrossing, revealing, and enlightening. It should be required reading for all Canadians.”

Barbara Taylor for The Last Asylum: A Memoir of Madness in our Times, published by Hamish Hamilton Canada

The jury notes: “A work of major substance and shocking honesty, The Last Asylum is a haunting tale of madness in the modern age. In this beautifully written memoir, Barbara Taylor uses her own harrowing experiences in psychoanalysis not only as a vehicle for personal discovery but as a prism through which to view contemporary attitudes towards mental illness. But Taylor is also a noted scholar of modern British culture and society, and her investigative powers as a historian are also on full display in this book. She explores Friern, an insane asylum first built by the Victorians where she received extensive treatment and which serves as the backdrop for her painful but revealing personal journey. Exquisitely crafted, The Last Asylum is an intellectual and stylistic tour de force.”

M. G. Vassanji for And Home Was Kariakoo: A Memoir of East Africa, published by Doubleday Canada

The jury notes: “In And Home Was Kariakoo, novelist M. G. Vassanji has written both an evocative memoir of his childhood in East Africa and a searching look at Tanzania and Kenya today. Returning in his sixties to his old neighbourhood in Dar es Salaam, and then embarking on a journey that takes him on local buses over rutted, barely passable roads to villages and ghost settlements, he changes the lens through which we view Africa. Vassanji casts a cool and unsparingly critical eye over the slave trade, colonialism and leftist revolutionaries, over the “beggar” mentality that pervades these countries and donor celebrities courting publicity. At the same time, he evokes the teeming aliveness of east Africa, its heat, its smells, its exotic foods and the surprising joyfulness of its people. In his journey, the reader too uncovers an Africa deserving respect rather than pity.”

Kathleen Winter for Boundless, published by House of Anansi Press

The jury notes: “In this evocative travel memoir, Kathleen Winter joins an expedition through the North West Passage as official trip “writer.” Thus begins her very personal voyage. As the ship sails into the Canadian Arctic, following the path of the doomed Franklin expedition, she reflects on the extraordinary life her parents chose as British emigrants settling in the wilds of Newfoundland. The events of the voyage are interwoven with her childhood memories, her struggles with adulthood and aging, her often intense engagement with fellow travelers, and breathtaking descriptions of the arctic light, the sea, the ice, the stark landscapes, and the people. The impact of climate change, and Canadian policies and inattention to First Nations are clearly and judiciously presented. The deep impact of this unplanned voyage on Winter’s connection to our natural world is beautifully and poetically told.”

About the RBC Taylor Prize :

The RBC Taylor Prize is awarded annually to the author whose book best combines an excellent command of the English language, an elegance of style, quality of thought, and subtlety of perception. The Prize consists of $25,000 for the winning author and $2,000 for each of the runners up.

The Emerging Writer’s award was established in 2013 to provide recognition and assistance to a Canadian published author who is working on a significant writing project, preferably but not limited to literary non-fiction. Through mentorship from the nominating author, and a $10,000 cash award, it is intended that the writer will be able to progress toward the creation of a first draft work.

The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation are: Michael Bradley (Toronto), Vijay Parmar (Toronto), David Staines (Ottawa), and Noreen Taylor (Toronto).

The presenting sponsor of the RBC Taylor Prize is RBC Wealth Management, its Major Sponsor is Metropia, its media sponsors are The Globe and Mail (exclusive newspaper sponsor), CNW Group, The Huffington Post Canada, Maclean’s magazine, and Quill & Quire magazine; its in-kind sponsors are Authors at Harbourfront Centre, Ben McNally Books, Event Source, Kobo Inc., The Toronto Library Board, and The Omni King Edward Hotel.

For more information visit: www.rbctaylorprize.ca.

For more information about the finalists visithttp://www.rbctaylorprize.ca/2015/finalists_15.asp.

Visit RBC Taylor Prize on Twitter at www.twitter.com/taylorprize.

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RBCTaylorPrize.

— 30 —

Media contact: Stephen Weir & Associates

Stephen Weir: 416.489.5868 | cell: 416.801.3101 |stephen@stephenweir.com

To download high-resolution images of the jury, finalists, and shortlisted titles, please go to:www.rbctaylorprize.ca/2015/photogallery_15.asp

MEDIA INVITE - RBC TAYLOR PRIZE SHORTLIST PRESS CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY 10 AM

Speakers. Drama. Books. The 2015 RBC Taylor Prize shortlist news conference to be held January 14th at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto

TORONTO, Jan. 12, 2015 /CNW/ - The founder of the Charles Taylor Foundation, Noreen Taylor will be one of three speakers at the short, but drama filled reveal of the finalists list for The 2015 RBC Taylor Prize. All media is invited to attend/cover. Also speaking will be well-known book journalist Martin Levin and RBC Wealth Management

The exciting press event will be held Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 10 am sharp, in the Consort Bar (Main Level) of the Omni King Edward Hotel in downtown Toronto. The King Edward Hotel is located at 37 King Street East in Toronto, Ontario. The winner announcement will be made on March 2nd also at the Omni King Edward Hotel.

About The RBC Taylor Prize

The RBC Taylor Prize is awarded annually to the author whose book best combines an excellent command of the English language, an elegance of style, quality of thought, and subtlety of perception. The Prize consists of $25,000 for the winning author and $2,000 for each of the runners up. The Prize has established the RBC Taylor Prize Emerging Writer's Award, which provides $10,000 to an emerging author. The RBC Taylor Prize winner chooses the emerging author each new Prize cycle.

The Emerging Writer's award was established in 2013 to provide recognition and assistance to a Canadian published author who is working on a significant writing project, preferably but not limited to literary non-fiction. Through mentorship from the nominating author, and a $10,000 cash award, it is intended that the writer will be able to progress toward the creation of a first draft work.

The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation are: Michael Bradley (Toronto), Vijay Parmar (Toronto), David Staines (Ottawa), and Noreen Taylor (Toronto).

The presenting sponsor of the RBC Taylor Prize is RBC Wealth Management, its Major Sponsor is Metropia, its media sponsors are The Globe and Mail (exclusive newspaper sponsor), CNW Group, The Huffington Post Canada, Maclean's magazine, and Quill & Quire magazine; its in-kind sponsors are Authors at Harbourfront Centre, Ben McNally Books, Event Source, Kobo Inc., and The Omni King Edward Hotel.

TO RSVP for the Shortlist Conference: rsvp@rbctaylorprize.ca

To download high-resolution Prize images : www.rbctaylorprize.ca/2015/longlist_15.asp

SOURCE Charles Taylor Prize

For further information:

For more information please visit: www.rbctaylorprize.ca.Visit RBC Taylor Prize on Twitter at www.twitter.com/taylorprize.Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RBCTaylorPrize.

Taylor ShortList Announcement to be made on Wednesday, 10am King Edward Hotel, Toronto

-->

Press Conference

RBC Taylor Prize 

2014 Shortlist Announcement

 

Wednesday, January 15th   ●   10:00 a.m. sharp!

Omni King Edward Hotel

Consort Bar, Main Floor, 37 King St. East, Toronto

The RBC Taylor Prize (formerly The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction) will announce this year’s finalists at a brief press conference on Wednesday, January 15th at 10:00 a.m. at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto.

As Canada’s most prestigious national book award, the RBC Taylor Prize recognizes excellence in literary non-fiction writing.  Now in its 13^th awarding, the Prize has been instrumental in fostering growth and appreciation for the genre of Canadian non-fiction.

Hosted by: Noreen Taylor, Prize Founder & Chair

Shortlist Announcers: RBC Taylor Prize Jurors - James Polk and Andrew Westoll

Spokespersons: Noreen Taylor; Dr. David Staines, Charles Taylor Prize Trustee; English Department, University of Ottawa and attending Jurors

Special Guests: Vijay Parmar, President PH&N Investment Council, RBC Wealth Management; Canadian publishers, book editors and literary agents

Why attend?           

This is the first big book award announcement of the year. Be there to learn which titles have been shortlisted and why they were selected.  Speak with jurors, and interact with publishers and agents to get their reactions and views.

The $25,000 RBC Taylor Prize is awarded annually to the author whose book best combines a superb command of the English language, an elegance of style and a subtlety of thought and perception. An honorarium of $2,000 is given to each finalist with promotional support for each shortlisted title. The winner of the 2014 prize will be announced on Monday, March 10th.

124 submissions from 45 publishers competed for the 2014 RBC Taylor Prize Longlist which was announced in December.  To review this year’s longlist or learn more about the Prize visit: www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca

The presenting sponsor of the RBC Taylor Prize is RBC Wealth Management, its Major Sponsor is Metropia, its media sponsors are The Globe and Mail (exclusive newspaper sponsor), CNW Group, The Huffington Post Canada, Maclean's magazine, and Quill & Quire magazine; its in-kind sponsors are Authors at Harbourfront Centre, Ben McNally Books, Event Source, Indigo Books and Music, Kobo Inc., and The Omni King Edward Hotel.

-0-

Media are requested to confirm their attendance with Stephen Weir & Associates:

Stephen Weir:            416-489-5868              cell: 416-801-3101   stephen@stephenweir.com

Linda Crane:                 416-727-0112   cranepr@rogers.com