Toronto, ON – The jury panel for the esteemed 2024 Scotiabank Giller Prize has been announced by Elana Rabinovitch, Executive Director of the prize. The Scotiabank Giller Prize recognizes excellence in Canadian fiction, encompassing both long-form novels and short stories. Last year’s winner was Sarah Bernstein for her novel, “Study for Obedience.”
Chairing the panel is Noah Richler, a renowned author and former BBC Radio producer who currently serves as the books section editor for National Post. Richler’s impressive accolades include multiple award nominations and wins, such as the Governor General’s Literary Award and the B.C. Award for Canadian Non-fiction. He will be dividing his time between Toronto and Digby, Nova Scotia, during the review process.
Joining Richler on the jury is Kevin Chong, a Canadian writer whose latest novel, “The Double Life of Benson Yu,” was a finalist for the 2023 Scotiabank Giller Prize. Chong is a highly regarded author of both fiction and nonfiction, with his work appearing in prestigious publications such as The Guardian. He currently resides in Vancouver and holds the position of associate professor at the University of British Columbia.
Notably, singer-songwriter Molly Johnson has also been selected as a juror. Johnson has captivated audiences internationally and has received numerous prestigious awards, including two JUNO Awards and the Order of Canada. Additionally, Johnson is the founding artistic director of Toronto’s Kensington Market Jazz Festival.
The international jurors for the prize consist of Dinaw Mengestu and Megha Majumdar. Mengestu, born in Ethiopia and raised in Illinois, has been recognized with prominent awards such as the MacArthur Foundation Award and the Lannan Fiction Fellowship. He is currently a professor at the Written Arts program and the Center for Ethics and Writing.
Majumdar, the author of the New York Times bestselling novel “A Burning,” has gained critical acclaim and received nominations for notable awards such as the National Book Award. She is a 2022 Whiting Award recipient and teaches at Princeton University.
The panel of jurors for this year’s prize showcases their exceptional knowledge of diverse Canadian literature and their ability to appreciate genre-bending works that push literary boundaries. To assist them in their reading journey, each juror will be provided with a Kobo Libra 2 eReader courtesy of Kobo.
The longlist for the prize will be unveiled at an event in early September in St. John’s Newfoundland, while the shortlist will be announced in early October in Toronto. The winner will be revealed during a nationally televised black-tie dinner and awards ceremony honoring the finalists in November.
Submissions for the 2024 Scotiabank Giller Prize are now open. The submission package can be found on the official prize website, and the deadlines for submission vary depending on the publication date of the books.
The Scotiabank Giller Prize, established in 1994, recognizes exceptional Canadian fiction and has grown in prominence through its partnership with Scotiabank. The prize now awards $100,000 annually to the best Canadian novel or short story collection published in English, with additional financial rewards for the finalists. This award is a tribute to the late literary journalist Doris Giller, initiated by her husband Jack Rabinovitch.
Scotiabank, a leading bank in the Americas, is dedicated to supporting customers, families, and communities, providing a range of financial services. With over 90,000 employees, Scotiabank trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange.
For media inquiries, please contact Elana Rabinovitch at the Scotiabank Giller Prize.