Ross King Wins the 2017 RBC Taylor Prize for Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the Painting of Water Lilies

Ross King holds his RBC Taylor Prize trophy - Tom Sandler photo

The Winner of the 2017 RBC Taylor Prize is Ross King (Oxford, England) for his book Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the Painting of Water Lilies by Ross King (Oxford, England), published by Bond Street Books. The $25,000 award was announced today by Prize founder and Chair Noreen Taylor during a gala luncheon celebrating this year’s finalists at The Omni King Edward Hotel in downtown Toronto. In addition to the cash prize, Mr. King received a crystal trophy and a leather-bound version of his book.

Vijay Parmar (l), Ross King and Prize founder Noreen Taylor - photo Tom Sandler

Noreen Taylor, prize founder and chair of the Charles Taylor Foundation expressed her delight, stating: “Well-crafted prose assumes even greater prestige and authority as we face a near-daily barrage of ‘alternative facts’ and things that read ‘as if’ they are true. The RBC Taylor Prize is proud to continue our tradition of support for this essential branch of our national literature. Of course, the task of championing the best in non-fiction reading is a whole lot easier when you have such fine writers as the 2017 finalists.”

Vijay Parmar, president of RBC PH&N Investment Counsel, added: “On behalf of RBC Wealth Management, congratulations to Ross King on this remarkable achievement. He joins an impressive list of authors who have played a part in shaping our country’s literary non-fiction landscape. We are proud to partner with the Charles Taylor Foundation in recognizing the amazing talent of Canadian non-fiction writers as Presenting Sponsor of the RBC Taylor Prize.”

In its citation of the winning book, the jury notes: “Claude Monet’s Water Lilies paintings in the Musée de l’Orangerie at the Jardin Tuileries rank among the greatest masterpieces of world art. Their creation came late in Monet’s life when cataracts marred his sight, death struck his wife and son, and war raged close to his lily ponds at Giverny. Ross King brilliantly captures the furies of Monet and the enormous challenges he overcame in painting the twenty-two panels of lilies that surround l’Orangerie. An exceptional art historian, King grasps the political tempests of wartime France, and his portrait of Monet’s close friend, French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau, will be essential reading for all who want to understand the intersection of politics, nationalism, and culture in France during the First World War. In this elegantly written and superbly researched book, Ross King illuminates Water Lilies and Monet as no one has before.”

About the winner: Ross King is the author of The Judgment of Paris, Brunelleschi’s Dome, Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling, Defiant Spirits: The Modernist Revolution of the Group of Seven and Leonardo and the Last Supper. His work has twice won the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction and has been shortlisted for the RBC Taylor Prize. Born and raised in Canada, he holds degrees from the University of Regina, York University in Toronto and University College, London. He now lives near Oxford, England.

The four remaining finalists — Max Eisen (Toronto, ON) for By Chance Alone: A Remarkable True Story of Courage and Survival at Auschwitz, published by HarperCollins Publishers; Matti Friedman (Jerusalem) for Pumpkinflowers: An Israeli Soldier’s Story, published by Signal/McClelland & Stewart; Marc Raboy (Montreal, QC) for Marconi: The Man Who Networked the World, published by Oxford University Press; and Diane Schoemperlen (Kingston, ON) for This Is Not My Life: A Memoir of Love, Prison, and Other Complications, published by HarperCollins Canada — each received a $2000 honorarium, a leather-bound version of their book, and extensive publicity.

Noreen Taylor and Ross King - Tom Sandler photo

The jurors for the 2017 RBC Taylor Prize are John English, Ann MacMillan, and Colin McAdam. They read and evaluated 101 books written by Canadian authors and submitted by 29 Canadian and international publishers to determine the winner for this, the sixteenth awarding of the prestigious prize.

Established as a biennial prize in 1998 by the trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation, 2017 marks the sixteenth 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.

Sharing a commitment to emerging Canadian talent, the Charles Taylor Foundation and RBC will also grant the fourth annual RBC Taylor Prize Emerging Writers Award. Shortly after the announcement of the 2017 Prize, its winner will name their choice of emerging author to receive this $10,000 award.

The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation are: Michael Bradley, Vijay Parmar, David Staines, Edward Taylor, Nadina Taylor, and Noreen Taylor

McMichael Gallery has a very successful fundraiser

SATURDAY NIGHT IN KLEINBURG - WHERE YOU CAN STILL SEE THE STARS SHINE

Holly Cole performs at the McMichael - Tom Sandler

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection held a very successful fundraiser Saturday night in Kleinburg, Ontario. Okay so there wasn't a full moon on June 8th, but the stars came out to the Moonlight Gala to help support the only public gallery that has 100% Canadian content.

This unforgettable evening featured internationally acclaimed East Coast jazz chanteuse Holly Cole performed outdoors in front of the log cabin gallery.  Host of the evening was CTV's Marci Ien (Canada AM).  Guests were treated to culinary delights especially designed for the evening by Chef Jamie Kennedy. There was also -- cough, cough, a cigar bar,  and thanks to Via Allegro Ristorantea scotch bar and a martini bar!

Proceeds of this event support educational programming and exhibitions at the McMichael, creating a lasting impact on Canadian art and culture now and in the future. The gallery is located in the village of Kleinburg, Ontario, just a few kilometers north of Toronto.

Marci Ien and Gala chair Tina Tehranchian. Tom Sandler

Pictured are two photographs by well know celeb picture taker Tom Sandler. Holly Cole performs (top) and above Canada AM's Marci Ien and Gala chair Tina Tehranchian at the Moonlight Gala.

The World's Richest Poetry Prize brings out the best (and table hoppers too))

L-R International winner. David Harsent, prize founder  Scott Griffin and the Canadian winner of the Griffin Poetry Prize  Ken Babstock  Photo Tom Sandler

 I swear I didn't know there was assigned seating 

Getting a polite bum's rush from Conrad Black's Table 6 at the Griffin Poetry Prize.

Bernard Gauthier (Bravo TV) and myself arrived early at last week's Griffin Poetry Prize Award dinner in Toronto.  The Distillery District hall doors had only been open for a few minutes.  We were one of the first to be welcomed by Scott and Krystyne Griffin, the founders and funders of  The Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry. The Prize is the largest annual award for a single book of poetry in the world. 

I had trouble hearing our hosts because of the Mexican mariachi band that had just begun to tune up.  I am sure I would have heard all the details about the seating arrangements if I leaned a little closer in.

We entered the large exposed brick space that was once used for the fermentation of millions of gallons of liquor.   The room soon began to fill with everyone I have read in the past 10 years.  Michael Ondaatje. Margaret Atwood. Christopher Dwedney.  Richard Gwyn. There were TV stars. Journalists. And, former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson.

More and more people poured into the space. It was an elbows-up cocktail hour. This was going to be a sold-out show. Bernard and I worried we would get separated and not be able to sit together when the dinner bell rang.

We decided to stake a claim at one of the round dining tables.  Number 6.  I placed my car keys and glass of beer on the table. Bernard put his notes and bag on a chair beside me. We went our different ways, promising to meet up when the dinner began.

The supper announcement was made and  I sat down at Table 6.  Soon I was joined by a man I had met at a Huffington Post party a week before. Recently released Conrad Black. He had out dressed me. He was joined by his wife Barbara Amiel, who I used to see when I helped out at Macleans 15-years ago.  Our table started to fill up. Murray Frum. An actress who's name I was told and promptly forgot. 

No one spoke to me.  One couple standing nearby glared. No Bernard.  I hung onto his seat as long as I could. 
But soon, the iron gaze behind me made it obvious that Table 6 was not an open seating spot. I gave up my chair (and Bernard’s too) to an annoyed elderly couple who seemed to know everyone at the table.

Not a bum's rush, but, I blushed none the same.  I grabbed Bernard's bag and made my escape.  We met up at the media table.  CBC. CP. Film makers. Photographer Tom Sandler.  They laughed at my story and one bun got tossed my way.  We had a good meal. A lot of laughs!

Seatmate Tom Sandler took the above picture of Scott Griffin with the winners of this year's Prize that was handed out when the 5-star meal ended. David Harsent's Night and Ken Babstock's Methodist Hatchet are the International and Canadian winners of the 2012 annual Griffin Poetry Prize. They each received $65,000 in prize money.

As we were leaving I handed Bernard back his bag. "Mon Ami" he said, "That is not my bag, where did you get it?"

It had been on the chair beside Lord Black.  I was going to return it to Table 6, but, you know, at the age 60, I try to only blush once a day.  I found one of the organizers, told her what had happened, gave her the satchel and very quickly disappeared into the night.

Andrew Westoll is the Chimp ... er Champ ... of the Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction

 

Andrew Westoll Wins The 2012 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction

The winner of The 2012 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is Andrew Westoll (Toronto, ON) for his book The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary: A Canadian Story of Resilience and Recovery.

Of the book, the jury said: "Brilliantly blending science and storytelling, primatologist and author Andrew Westoll takes us deep into the world of the haunted and haunting rescued research chimps of Fauna Sanctuary. Pulled from decades of horrific lab conditions, rescued chimps live out the balance of their long lives in sanctuaries such as Fauna, cared for and loved by an extraordinary group of people. Westoll deftly draws the reader into the wild day-to-day ride of life with the Fauna chimps and soon their Otherness falls away. Through his lens, the chimps are revealed as the individuals they are, with all their foibles, damage, and possibility — and the reader's world view shifts on its axis. Heart-rending and heart-warming, this is a stunning and important work of art and documentary and science."

Andrew Westoll's winning book, The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary: A Canadian Story of Resilience and Recovery, was also nominated for the BC National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction. He is an award-winning narrative journalist and internationally published author. A former biologist and primatologist, his first book, The Riverbones, is a travel memoir set in the jungles of Suriname, where he once lived as a monkey researcher. He took creative writing at the University of British Columbia. Andrew lives in Toronto with his wife, and continues to write while working at the University of Toronto.

The $25,000 prize was awarded to Andrew Westoll on Monday, March 5th during a gala luncheon, hosted by CBC's Mary Ito, and held in the historic Sovereign Ballroom of downtown Toronto's Le Meridien King Edward Hotel. The remaining finalists — Wade Davis, Charlotte Gill, JJ Lee, and Madeline Sonik — each received $2,000.

RBC Wealth Management, presenting sponsor of the prize, will host Andrew Westoll in select cities across Canada to speak about his winning book. Authors at Harbourfront Centre will feature Andrew Westoll at the International Festival of Authors (IFOA) in October.

The jurors for The 2012 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction are authors Allan M. Brandt (Cambridge, MA, USA) and Stevie Cameron (Toronto, Canada), and publishing consultant Susan Renouf (Toronto, Canada). They selected The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary: A Canadian Story of Resilience and Recovery from their shortlist of five books, which they in turn selected from their longlist of eleven books. All three jurors each read 115 books, submitted by 35 publishers from around the world. Books in the genre of literary non-fiction, published between November 1, 2010 and October 21, 2011, were eligible for submission if authored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and widely available for purchase in Canada.

Andrew Westoll by Tom Sandler

The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation are Michael Bradley (Toronto), Judith Mappin (Montréal), David Staines (Ottawa), and Noreen Taylor (Toronto). When asked about the jury's selection, Noreen Taylor, founder of the prize, said: "This year's jury had an exceptionally difficult task, for each of the five finalists presented unique strengths and approaches to their material. Andrew Westoll has the rare capacity to make all of his subjects engaging and memorable. Once introduced to his characters, their stories stay with you, leaving you to hope that he writes a sequel."

This is the eleventh awarding of the prestigious Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction, which recognizes excellence in Canadian non-fiction writing and emphasizes the development of the careers of the authors it celebrates. Since its inception, the prize has engaged Canadians in the genre of literary non-fiction and boosted sales of the winning authors' books. Founded in commemoration of the late Charles Taylor, one of Canada's foremost essayists and a prominent member of the Canadian literary community, the 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.

The presenting sponsor of The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is RBC Wealth Management. "Congratulations to Andrew Westoll for winning the prestigious Charles Taylor Prize for 2012," said George Lewis, Group Head, RBC Wealth Management, presenting sponsor of the prize. "The work of all five finalists are impressive examples of literary excellence and demonstrate Canada's talent on the world stage. It is this excellence that RBC Wealth Management applauds and is proud to support."

The Major sponsor of The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is Windfields Farm. Its exclusive newspaper sponsor is The Globe and Mail; its media sponsors are CBC Books, CNW Group, The Huffington Post Canada, Maclean's magazine, and Quill & Quire magazine; and its In-Kind sponsors are Authors at Harbourfront Centre, Ben McNally Books, Event Source, Indigo Books and Music, Kobo Inc., Le Meridien King Edward Hotel, and The Toronto Review of Books.

For more information please visit: www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca

Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/taylorprize

Visit http://bit.ly/yj58ZP to view the 2012 award ceremony webcast

Find prize photos and video at www.newswire.ca

SOURCE Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction

Image with caption: "Noreen Taylor, founder and chair of The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction presented the prestigious $25,000 annual prize to Andrew Westoll, author of "The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary", at its annual gala luncheon in at Le Meridien King Edward Hotel in Toronto today. (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction) (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10783.jpg

Image with caption: "Andrew Westoll, author of "The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary" shows off his statuette after winning the 2012 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction, which was announced at Le Meridien King Edward Hotel in Toronto today. (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction) (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10784.jpg

Image with caption: "MADELINE SONIK - Afflictions & Departures: Essays, published by Anvil Press (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10758.jpg

Image with caption: "ANDREW WESTOLL - The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary: A Canadian Story of Resilience and Recovery, published by HarperCollins Publishers (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10759.jpg

Image with caption: "CHARLOTTE GILL - Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe, published by Greystone Books in association with the David Suzuki Foundation (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10760.jpg

Image with caption: "WADE DAVIS - Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest, published by Alfred A. Knopf Canada (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10761.jpg

Image with caption: "JJ LEE - The Measure of a Man: The Story of a Father, a Son, and a Suit, published by McClelland & Stewart (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10762.jpg

Image with caption: "Allan Brandt - Juror (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10773.jpg

Image with caption: "Stevie Cameron - Juror (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10774.jpg

Image with caption: "Susan Renouf - Juror (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10775.jpg

Image with caption: "Wade Davis - Nominee (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10778.jpg

Image with caption: "Charlotte Gill - Nominee (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10779.jpg

Image with caption: "JJ Lee - Nominee (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10780.jpg

Image with caption: "Madeline Sonik - Nominee (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10776.jpg

Image with caption: "Andrew Westoll - Winner (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10777.jpg

Video with caption: "Video: Andrew Westoll Wins The 2012 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20120305_C9849_VIDEO_EN_10781.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10781.jpg&clientName=Charles%20Taylor%20Prize%20for%20Literary%20Non%2DFiction&caption=Video%3A%20Andrew%20Westoll%20Wins%20The%202012%20Charles%20Taylor%20Prize%20for%20Literary%20Non%2DFiction&title=Charles%20Taylor%20Prize%20for%20Literary%20Non%2D%20Fiction&headline=Andrew%20Westoll%20Wins%20The%202012%20Charles%20Taylor%20Prize%20for%20Literary%20Non%2DFiction

Video with caption: "B-Roll - Andrew Westoll Wins The 2012 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction ". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20120305_C9849_VIDEO_EN_10782.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20120305_C9849_PHOTO_EN_10782.jpg&clientName=Charles%20Taylor%20Prize%20for%20Literary%20Non%2DFiction&caption=B%2DRoll%20%2D%20Andrew%20Westoll%20Wins%20The%202012%20Charles%20Taylor%20Prize%20for%20Literary%20Non%2DFiction%20&title=CHARLES%20TAYLOR%20PRIZE%20FOR%20LITERARY%20NON%2DFICTION%20%2D%20Andrew%20Westoll%20Wins%20The%202012%20Charles%20Taylor%20Prize%20for%20Literary%20Non%2DFiction&headline=Andrew%20Westoll%20Wins%20The%202012%20Charles%20Taylor%20Prize%20for%20Literary%20Non%2DFiction

The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction Announces 2012 Shortlist

Noreen Taylor,  chair of the Charles Taylor Foundation announced on Tuesday the five finalists for this year's book prize. The shortlist announcement was made in the Toronto headquarters of the Royal Bank of Canada. Above Noreen Taylor and Vijay Parmar, RBC vice-president, hold the nominated books.  Photo by Tom Sandler

YouTube Video of event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV8srJKmkAQ

 Five authors in the running for this year's non-fiction Prize

TORONTO, Jan. 10, 2012 /CNW/ - This morning, Noreen Taylor, chair of the Charles Taylor Foundation and founder of The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction, announced that the 2012 prize jury, composed of authors Allan M. Brandt and Stevie Cameron and non-fiction publishing consultant Susan Renouf, read 115 books, submitted by 35 publishers from around the world. Mrs. Taylor went on to introduce Ms Cameron and Ms Renouf, who announced the 2012 prize shortlist, as follows:

The Finalists for the 2012 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction Are:

Wade Davis for Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest, published by Alfred A. Knopf Canada

The jury notes: "In this monumental volume, Wade Davis narrates explorer George Mallory's heroic attempt to scale Everest following the Great War. With remarkable new research in previously unexplored British archives and in the Himalayas, Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest powerfully links the devastating carnage and demoralization of the War to the transcendent aspiration of Mallory and his compatriots to ascend Everest. With skill and insight, Davis explores the meaning of this valorous yet tragic climb for post-war Britain and the world."

Charlotte Gill for Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe, published by Greystone Books

The jury notes: "Only a writer as skilled as Charlotte Gill could make the back-breaking work of planting more than a million seedlings sound like one of life's essential adventures. In a carefully balanced story of science, business and friendship, and one that is surprisingly unsentimental, Gill shares her love for Canada's boreal forests, the tragedy of their disappearances and the grueling work involved in replacing them. Reader, you might finish this book feeling relieved you don't plant trees - but you will be wishing you could."

JJ Lee for The Measure of a Man: The Story of a Father, a Son, and a Suit, published by McClelland & Stewart

The jury notes: "As an experienced radio current affairs producer, JJ Lee knew what it took to make a good story though he never expected his own life to end up in a book. The Measure of a Man, Lee's account of trying to remake one of his late father's old suits into one for himself, began as a CBC Radio documentary. An editor suggested it would make a good book. She was right. Beautifully crafted, Lee's memoir is a heartbreaking page-turner about a family, an abusive father, and men's fashion. Who could have thought these themes could work together? In his first book, Lee has shown us how."

Madeline Sonik for Afflictions & Departures: Essays, published by Anvil Press

The jury notes: "Startlingly original, Madeline Sonik's moving story of her childhood defies all our expectations of memoir. She captures crystalline moments of childhood memory and links them in a daisy-chain with corresponding events of the tumultuous societal change taking place outside her home. It is North America in the 1960s and 70s and her letter-perfect, child's-eye view of the world brings back that time with such intensity that the reader can almost smell and taste it. Droll, tragic, and absolutely compelling, Afflictions and Departures is a visceral portrayal of a family imploding."

Andrew Westoll for The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary: A Canadian Story of Resilience and Recovery, published by HarperCollins Publishers

The jury notes: "Brilliantly blending science and storytelling, primatologist and author Andrew Westoll takes us deep into the world of the haunted and haunting rescued research chimps of Fauna Sanctuary. Pulled from decades of horrific lab conditions, rescued chimps live out the balance of their long lives in sanctuaries such as Fauna, cared for and loved by an extraordinary group of people. Westoll deftly draws the reader into the wild day-to-day ride of life with the Fauna chimps and soon their Otherness falls away. Through his lens, the chimps are revealed as the individuals they are, with all their foibles, damage, and possibility - and the reader's world view shifts on its axis. Heartrending and heart-warming, this is a stunning and important work of art and documentary and science."

The prestigious Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction recognizes excellence in Canadian non-fiction writing and emphasizes the development of the careers of the authors it celebrates. Since its inception, the prize has fostered a growing interest in non-fiction, engaged Canadians in the genre of literary non-fiction, and boosted sales of the winning authors' books. 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, the prize consists of $25,000 for the winning author and $2,000 for the runners-up, in addition to extensive promotion and publicity to help all books stand out in the national media, bookstores, and libraries.

The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation are Michael Bradley (Toronto), Judith Mappin (Montreal), David Staines (Ottawa), and Noreen Taylor (Toronto). They established The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction to commemorate the life and work of the late Charles Taylor, one of Canada's foremost essayists and a prominent member of the Canadian literary community. Charles Taylor was a foreign correspondent with The Globe and Mail and the author of four books: Radical Tories; Reporter in Red China; Six Journeys: A Canadian Pattern; and Snow Job.

The jurors for The 2012 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction are Allan M. Brandt, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, award-winning author Stevie Cameron, and well-respected editor and consultant Susan Renouf. Full biographies of the jurors can be found here: http://www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca/2012/jury_12.asp

The 2012 prize finalists will speak at Ben McNally's Authors Brunch on Sunday, March 4, 2012. For tickets, please visit www.benmcnallybooks.com. The prize winner will be announced at a Gala Luncheon and Awards Ceremony on Sunday, March 5 at Le Meridien King Edward Hotel. The winner will be featured at the International Festival of Authors in October, 2012.

The trustees of The Charles Taylor Foundation gratefully acknowledge the support of their partners. The Presenting Sponsor of The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is RBC Wealth Management; the Major Sponsor is Windfields Farm; the Media Sponsors are CNW Group, CBC Books, The Globe and Mail, Maclean's magazine and Quill & Quire magazine; and the In-Kind Sponsors are Ben McNally Books, Event Source, Indigo Books and Music, Kobo Inc., The International Festival of Authors, Le Meridien King Edward Hotel, and the Toronto Review of Books.

To download high-resolution images of the jury, finalists, and shortlisted titles, please go to: http://www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca/2012/photogallery_12.asp

For information on the authors and their shortlisted titles, click on or key in the publishers' website addresses noted below each book.

Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest by Wade Davis, published by Knopf Canada
http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307944108

Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe by Charlotte Gill, published by Greystone Books
http://www.dmpibooks.com/book/eating-dirt

The Measure of a Man: The Story of a Father, a Son, and a Suit by J. J. Lee, published by McClelland & Stewart
http://www.mcclelland.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780771046476

Afflictions and Departures: Essays by Madeline Sonik, published by Anvil Press
http://www.anvilpress.com/Books/afflictions-departures

The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary: A Canadian Story of Resilience and Recovery by Andrew Westoll, published by HarperCollins
http://www.harpercollins.ca/books/The-Chimps-of-Fauna-Sanctuary-Andrew-Westoll?isbn=9781554686490&HCHP+TB_The+Chimps+of+Fauna+Sanctuary

For more information please visit: www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca

follow us at www.twitter.com/taylorprize

Four Authors Chosen For This Year's Charles Taylor Prize Short-List

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The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction Announces its 2010 Shortlist
TORONTO, Jan. 5 - This morning, at a news conference at Toronto's Le Meridien King Edward Hotel, Noreen Taylor, prize founder and chair of the Charles Taylor Foundation, announced that the jury - composed of award-winning author Andrew Cohen (Ottawa), Tim Cook (Ottawa), winner of the 2009 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction, and award-winning translator Sheila Fischman (Montréal) - read 125 Canadian-authored books, submitted by 34 publishers from across North America. Mrs. Taylor went on to introduce Mr. Cohen who made the following announcement before an audience of publishers, media, and booksellers:
The 2010 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction finalists are:
Ian Brown for The Boy in the Moon: A Father's Search For His Disabled Son, published by Random House Canada.
The jury notes, "In telling the story of his son afficted with a rare, mysterious disease, Ian Brown takes us into a netherworld where medicine and morality meet. He recounts the quotidian struggles of Walker with artless candour, quirky humour and unsparing detail. Marshalling a journalist's investigative tools, Brown searches out the disabled and finds not only them, but a community of geneticists, neurologists, ethicists, and secular saints. His account of his journey is deeply discomfiting and deeply affecting. Along the way, Brown discovers himself - and the capacity for love."
John English for Just Watch Me: The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, 1968 - 2000, published by Knopf Canada.
The jury notes, "Just Watch Me, the second of a two-volume biography, examines the leadership of Pierre Elliott Trudeau as he manages the threats to Canada's unity and prosperity in the last third of the twentieth century. A master of synthesis, John English brings the sharp eye and deft pen of the seasoned historian to his engaging interpretation of Canada's most provocative, if erratic, prime minister. Here is a memorable portrait of Trudeau at full flood - as nation-builder, strongman, electioneer, aesthete, intellectual, outdoorsman, husband, father, and lover - drawn with authority, humanity and sympathy."
Daniel Poliquin for René Lévesque, published by Penguin Canada.
The jury notes, "Daniel Poliquin offers an engaging portrait of René Lévesque: a nation-building hero to some, a nation-destroying villain to others. Richly insightful and deftly written, Poliquin pivots easily from the man and society, his enemies and friends, his victories and defeats, all the while capturing his complexity and conflicts. René Lévesque is a high-octane narrative."
Kenneth Whyte for The Uncrowned King: The Sensational Rise of William Randolph Hearst, published by Random House Canada.
The jury notes: "In masterful prose, Kenneth Whyte recounts the struggle between America's two greatest newspaper publishers, William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. Based on prodigious research and a deep understanding of late-nineteenth-century newspaper empires, he reveals how these megalomaniac millionaires reshaped the publishing world, capturing the conflict and struggle as they gambled with their fortunes to win readers and drive their enemies into bankruptcy. The Uncrowned King is a page-turner; readers will never look the same way at their daily newspapers."
The prestigious Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction recognizes excellence in Canadian non-fiction writing. Since its inception the prize has fostered a growing interest in non-fiction, engaged Canadians in the genre of literary non-fiction, and boosted sales of the winning authors' books. Founded in commemoration of the late Charles Taylor, one of Canada's foremost essayists and a prominent member of the Canadian literary community, the 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.
The 2010 prize finalists will be in Toronto for media days in mid-January and then again from February 6 - 8, 2010. On Sunday, February 7, they will speak about their writing at a special instalment of The Globe and Mail/Ben McNally Books brunch series event. The finalists will be honoured and the winner announced at a Gala Luncheon and Awards Ceremony the following day. Both the Sunday and Monday events will take place at Le Meridien King Edward Hotel in downtown Toronto. The prize consists of $25,000 for the winning author and $2,000 for each of the remaining finalists, as well as promotional and publicity support to help all of the shortlisted books stand out in the national media, bookstores, and libraries.
The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is presented by the Charles Taylor Foundation with the generous support of its partners: Ben McNally Books, Bravo! and Book Television, Canada Newswire (CNW), Event Source, Le Meridien King Edward Hotel, Quill & Quire, The Globe and Mail, and Windfields Farm.
To Download high-resolution images of the jury, finalists, and shortlisted titles, please go to:
http://www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca/2010/photogallery_10.asp
For more information please visit: www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca
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For further information: Media contact: Stephen Weir & Associates, Stephen Weir: (416) 489-5868, cell: (416) 801-3101, stephen@stephenweir.com; Linda Crane: (905) 257-6033, cell: (416) 727-0112, cranepr@cogeco.ca

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Cutlines: Top - Noreen Taylor at the podium. Photograph by Dave Tollington
Middle: Author and journalist Andrew Cohen, one of the jurors for the 2010 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction joins Prize chair and founder, Noreen Taylor following the announcement of this year's finalists. This year's Shortlist was announced today (Jan. 5) in Toronto. (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)
Bottom: Duking it out...Noreen Taylor, founder of The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is ready for the match between two of this year's finalists. Coincidentally books about political adversaries (Pierre Trudeau and René Lévesque) were among the four shortlisted books. This year's shortlisted authors are: Ian Brown for The Boy in the Moon: A Father's Search For His Disabled Son; John English for Just Watch Me: The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau; Daniel Poliquin for René Lévesque; and Kenneth Whyte for The Crowned King: The Sensational Rise of William Randolph Hearst. The finalists were announced today (Jan. 5) in Toronto. (CNW Group/Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction)