Toronto – The City of Toronto and Toronto Public Library (TPL) have named the five books shortlisted for the 2023 Toronto Book Awards. Established by Toronto City Council in 1974, the awards honour books of literary merit that are inspired by Toronto and offer $15,000 in total prize money, with $10,000 to the winner and $1,000 to each shortlisted finalist. This year, the Toronto Book Awards received 105 submissions that reflected the creativity and diversity of the city’s literary community. The titles selected for the 2023 shortlist are:
Moving the Museum by Wanda Nanibush and Georgiana Uhlyarik (Goose Lane Editions)
Finding Edward by Sheila Murray (Cormorant)
Wild Fires by Sophie Jai (The Borough Press)
Clara at the Door with a Revolver by Carolyn Whitzman (On Point Press)
Nomenclature by Dionne Brand (Penguin Random House)
TPL has created a reading list of the 2023 Toronto Book Awards shortlisted titles, available on the TPL website (opens in new window).
The public is invited to meet the authors who have been shortlisted for the 2023 Toronto Book Awards, at the following events:
Event: Reading and Book Signing
Date: Monday, September 18
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: The Arts and Letters Club, 14 Elm St.
Tickets are $20 and are available online (opens in new window) in advance, or at the door.
Event: Author Readings
Date: Wednesday, September 27
Time: 7 to 8 p.m.
Location: Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St.
The 2023 Toronto Book Awards shortlisted authors join Word on the Street’s (opens in new window) Sienna Tristen for a night of readings and conversation that will take audience members into the creative minds of Toronto’s best and brightest storytellers. More information is available on the TPL website (opens in new window).
Event: 2023 Toronto Book Awards Prize Ceremony
Date: Tuesday, October 10
Time: 7 to 8 p.m.
Location: North York Central Library, Concourse Event Space, 5120 Yonge St.
Members of the public can reserve free tickets online. (opens in new window)
This is the 49th year of the Toronto Book Awards. The 2023 Toronto Book Awards jury comprises writers, educators and other dedicated members of Toronto’s literary community.
More information about the awards is available on the City’s Toronto Book Awards webpage and on Twitter by following @CultureTO and #tobookawards.
“We are delighted that the jury has chosen such an incredible shortlist of books and authors nominated for this year’s prestigious Toronto Book Award. Congratulations to all the nominated authors and I encourage everyone to borrow these books from the library and add these wonderful titles to their fall reading lists.” – Vickery Bowles, City Librarian, Toronto Public Library