Sheila Heti wins $25K Governor General's Literary Award for fiction

Sheila Heti has won the Governor General's Literary Award for fiction for her novel Pure Colour.

The Governor General's Literary Awards are among Canada's oldest and most prestigious prizes for literature. There are seven categories, awarded in both French and English, with $25,000 going to each winning book.

The seven categories are: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, translation, young people's literature text and young people's literature illustrated books.

Books published between Aug.1, 2021and July 31, 2022 were eligible for the 2022 awards. The finalists and winners are chosen by a peer assessment committee for each category.

Pure Colouris a funny exploration of the wonderful and terrible aspects of being alive. It posits that our life is the first draft of a work of art, and God is about to toss it all and start over.

"In my book, like any artist, God is trying to make something that he's proud of, something beautiful, something that works, something that holds together, that's satisfying for its audience. What Iwas thinking about when I started writing the book is why, on the one hand, the experience of being alive is so magical and wondrous and beautiful and incredible and what a gift to be here, and, at the same time, every day is full of frustrations and all one can do is complain all the time,"she said in an interview with David Common on The Sunday Magazine.

"I was trying to reconcile those two things, the majesty of being alive with the fact that we're constantly complaining and disappointed."

LISTEN | Sheila Heti discusses Pure Colour with David Common:

The Sunday Magazine16:42In Pure Colour, writer Sheila Heti uses humour to tackle the challenges of modern life

In her new novel Pure Colour, Canadian author Sheila Heti explores the idea that the world is an unfinished work of art, whose creator is getting ready to scrap and start over... because the first draft just didn't cut it. David Common speaks with Heti about the book's themes of grief, climate change and the human condition, along with the personal loss that shaped its narrative.

Residential school survivor Eli Baxter won the nonfiction category for his memoir,Aki-Wayn-Zih.He brings together thousands of years of history with his personal story,exploring the importance ofspirituality, language, history and of sharing stories.

Halifax writer AnnickMacAskill won the poetry category for her collectionShadow Blight, whichexplores the grief and loneliness of pregnancy loss.

The Piano Teacher: A Healing Key, which is about the power of music in the wake of grief, by Vancouver playwright, composer and sound designer Dorothy Dittrich won the drama category.

Los Angeles-based Canadian writer Jen Ferguson won theyoung people's literature text category for her YA novelThe Summer of Bitter and Sweetwhile the duo of Toronto writerNaseem Hrab and Montreal illustratorNahid Kazemiwon theyoung people's literature illustrated books category for their picture bookThe Sour Cherry Tree.

The Governor General's Literary Awards were created in 1936. Past winners includeThomas King,Madeleine Thien,Michael Ondaatje,Alice MunroandMargaret Atwood.

TheCanada Council for the Artsis a partner oftheCBC Literary Prizes. The CBC Nonfiction Prize will open in January, the CBC Poetry Prize will open in April and the CBC Short Story Prize will open in September.

Keep reading to learn more aboutthe 2022 Governor General's Literary Award English-language winners.

Fiction:Pure Colourby Sheila Heti

Pure Colourfollows a woman named Mira, who leaves home for school and meets a person named Annie. Annie has this power over Mira and opens her chest like a portal. Many years later when Mira is older, her father dies and his spirit passes into her. Together, they become a leaf on a tree. But when photosynthesis gets boring, Mira must choose whether or not to return to Annie and the human world she has left behind.Pure Colouris a funny exploration of the wonderful and terrible aspects of being alive.

Pure Colourwas also on the2022 Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist.

• Why bestselling writer Sheila Heti's favourite journey is inside her own mind

Sheila Heti is a Canadian playwright and author whose work has been translated in over a dozen languages. Her novelMotherhoodwas on the shortlist for the 2018Scotiabank Giller Prize. She is also the author of the novelsTicknorandHow Should a Person Be?and the self-help bookThe Chairs Are Where the People Go.

In familiar yet philosophical language, Heti presents art-making, loveand solitude in a stunningly original work.-2022 fiction peer assessment committee

"Pure Colouris a work of genius, juxtaposing the profound and the everyday to tell the story of Mira struggling with the death of her beloved father. In familiar yet philosophical language, Heti presents art-making, loveand solitude in a stunningly original work. Renewing our sense of the world-changing power of art, the writing is gorgeous, poetic, funnyand 'more than here,'" the jury said in a statement.

The fiction category was assessed by Norma Dunning, Thea Lim and John Steffler.

Nonfiction:Aki-Wayn-Zihby Eli Baxter

Residential school survivor Eli Baxter is among the last fluent speakers ofAnishinaabaymowin, anAnishinaabay language. InAki-Wayn-Zih, Baxter looks at the history of theAnishinaabayg and their relationship with the land since the beginning of their life on Turtle Island. He brings together thousands of years of history with his personal story, growing up on the land, trapping and fishing, and his experience being forced to attend residential school.Aki-Wayn-Zihis about the importance of spirituality, language, history and of sharing stories.

Baxter is a residential school survivor andcertified Ontario teacher.Aki-wayn-zihis his first book.

At a time when he worries that the fires of Indigenous languages are going out, his simple and beautiful book, written across languages, culturesand generations, radiates a radical kind of hope.-2022 peer assessment committee

"Eli Baxter's indelible memoir,Aki-wayn-zih, takes readers deep into Anishinaabay culture, language and history to reveal a rich and complex world, while showing how the link between language and land is crucial for survival and growth. At a time when he worries that the fires of Indigenous languages are going out, his simple and beautiful book, written across languages, culturesand generations, radiates a radical kind of hope," the jury said in a statement.

The nonfiction category was assessed byWill Aitken, Madhur Anand and Jenna Butler.

Poetry:Shadow Blightby Annick MacAskill

Drawing on ancient mythology,Shadow Blightexplores the grief and loneliness of pregnancy loss. Interweaving contemporary experience with mythological stories, Annick MacAskill gives new language to often unspeakable pain.

MacAskill lives in Halifax, where she teaches French language and literature at Saint Mary's University. Her poetry collections includeMurmurationsandNo Meeting Without Body, which was nominated for the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award and shortlisted for the J.M. Abraham Award.

This rare achievement combines formal poetic mastery with honesty and vulnerability.- 2022 peer assessment committee

"MacAskill brings the mythological Niobe back from the contempt of history to play the role of emissary. It is a book about how mothers become what they love, as well as a survival story: how not to turn to stone. The stolen child haunts the lines, a deep defiance burdened by hope. This rare achievement combines formal poetic mastery with honesty and vulnerability," the jury said in a statement.

The poetry category was assessed byJoe Denham, Stewart Donova and Aisha Sasha John.

Drama:The Piano Teacher: A Healing Keyby Dorothy Dittrich

The Piano Teacher: A Healing Keyis a play about a classic pianist named Erin who, after an unexpected and tremendous loss, struggles to make music. When she encounters a new piano teacher, she learns to reconnect with her creativity, deal with her grief and give herself compassion and love.

Dorothy Dittrich is a playwright, sound designer and composer who currently lives in Vancouver. Her other plays includeThe Dissociates,Lesser Demons,Two Part InventionandIf the Moon Fall.She also created the musicalWhen We Were Singing.

Moving and compelling. With this gorgeously written play, Dittrich has accomplished the remarkable.- 2022 peer assessment committee

"Moving and compelling. With this gorgeously written play, Dittrich has accomplished the remarkable. She brilliantly delves into a multi-layered exploration of love, loss, isolation and friendship, reaching beyond words to reveal the healing and redemptive power of music. She holds our hand on an unexpected journey through grief towards hope," the jury said in a statement.

The drama category was assessed byKeith Barker, Marie Leofeli Romero Barlizo and Alex Poch Goldin.

Young people's literature text: The Summer of Bitter and Sweetby Jen Ferguson

The Summer of Bitter and Sweetis a YA novel about a young Mtis girl living on the Canadian prairies. Lou is spending the summer working at her family's failing frozen treats business with her newly ex-boyfriend. When an old friend unexpectedly comes back to town after three years away and her biological father sends her a letter wanting to reconnect Lou is suddenly faced with more challenges than she might be able to handle.

The Summer of Bitter and Sweetis for ages 13 and up.

Jen Ferguson is a Los Angeles-based author, activist and academic of Michif/Mtis and Canadian settler heritagebased in Los Angeles. Ferguson has a PhD in English and creative writing. Her work includes the 2016 novelBorder Markersand her essayOff Balancewas featured inBest Canadian Essays 2020.The Summer of Bitter and Sweetis her debut YA novel.

The Summer of Bitter and Sweetfeatures vibrant prose, real family conflict and a raw and evocative commentary on the struggles of being different in a small-town, prairie setting.- 2022 peer assessment committee

"A timely novel that flows from the author's Mtis and Canadian roots,The Summer of Bitter and Sweetfeatures vibrant prose, real family conflict and a raw and evocative commentary on the struggles of being different in a small-town, prairie setting. Touching on subjects that speak to today's challenges for 2SLGBTQI+ youth, the complex story delivers an emotional impact. The recipe notes about ice cream add a scoop of sweetness to level out Lou's sometimes bitter realities," the jury said in a statement.

The young people's literature textcategory was assessed by Michael Hutchinson, Sharon Jennings and Wesley King.

Young people's literature illustrated books:The Sour Cherry Treeby Naseem Hrab, illustrated by Nahid Kazemi

The Sour Cherry Treeis a look at the loss of a loved one through the eyes of a child. Based on author Naseem Hrab's own memories, this picture book looks at grief, love and culture to explore death and dying.

The Sour Cherry Treeis for ages 4 to 8.

Hrab is a Toronto-based writer and storyteller. She is also the author ofIra Crumb Makes a Pretty Good FriendandIra Crumb Feels the Feelings. Her picture bookWeekend Dadwasa finalist for the 2020 Governor General's Literary Prize for young people's literature illustrated books.

Nahid Kazemi is an artist, illustrator, graphic designer and author from Montreal. Her other books includeI'm Glad That You're Happy, The Orange HouseandOver the Rooftops, Under the Moonby JonArno Lawson.

This beautifully crafted book will linger long after you have finished reading.- 2022 peer assessment committee

"A moving reflection of love and loss through the eyes of a child,The Sour Cherry Treeis a tender story about family and culture that is portrayed with subtlety and thoughtfulness. Memories of childhood and bereavement feel tangible and are softened by Kazemi's gentle artistry. Hrab and Kazemi's work evokes the depth of love we share through little gestures. This beautifully crafted book will linger long after you have finished reading," the jury said in a statement.

The young people's literature illustrated books category was assessed by Kate Beaton, Nhung N. Tran-Davies and Frank Viva.

Translation: History of the Jews in Quebecby Pierre Anctil, translated by Judith Weisz Woodsworth

This nonfiction work is a historical look at the presence of Jews in Quebec dating back four centuries.History of the Jews in Quebecexamines how Jewish communities in Montreal and throughout Quebec have grown and evolved due to global migration and highlights the contributions and achievements made by Jewish people in the region.

Pierre Anctil is a Canadian author and history professor at the University of Ottawa. His work focuses on the history of Montreal's Jewish community and on the current debates on cultural pluralism in Canada. His work includesJacob Isaac Segal: A Montreal Yiddish Poet and His MilieuandA Reluctant Welcome for Jewish People.

Judith Weisz Woodsworth is a Canadian translator and professor at Concordia University. She has published widely on the history and theory of translation and has translated novels by Quebec authors Pierre Nepveu and Abla Farhoud.

Judith Weisz Woodsworth's flawless translation renders Pierre Anctil's formidable socio-historical work accessible to an English-speaking audience.- 2022 peer assessment committee

"Judith Weisz Woodsworth's flawless translation renders Pierre Anctil's formidable socio-historical work accessible to an English-speaking audience. It replicates the engaging style of the original with enthusiasm and rigour. Weisz Woodsworth fully captures the scholarly but compelling prose of this essential overview. Her translation of the extensive documentation is equally masterful," the jury said in a statement.

The French-to-English translationcategory was assessed byAnita Anand, Chantal Bilodeau and Steven Urquhart.