User:Mr. Absurd/Governor General's Literary Awards

The Governor General's Literary Awards are one of Canada's most prestigious awards for literature. First awarded in 1936 by the Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir for two works of English-language fiction and non-fiction, the awards were then expanded several times, adding categories for poetry and drama in 1937, and juvenile literature in 1949. In 1957 the award were expanded again to also include works in the French language, the administration of the award was transferred Canada Council for the Arts, and cash prizes were introduced.

1936
The first awards in 1936 marked the beginning of the tradition of Governor General's awards in Canada. They comprised only two categories, for fiction and Non-fiction, and were English only. Lord Tweedsmuir, then Governor General and himself the noted author of The Thirty-Nine Steps, presented the awards.


 * Fiction: Bertram Brooker, Think of the Earth
 * Non-fiction: T. B. Robertson, collected newspaper articles

1937
The second year of awards, in 1937, was the first to include a category for poetry or drama.


 * Fiction: Laura G. Salverson, The Dark Weaver
 * Poetry or drama: E. J. Pratt, The Fable of the Goats
 * Non-fiction: Stephen Leacock, My Discovery of the West

1938

 * Fiction: Gwethalyn Graham, Swiss Sonata
 * Poetry or drama: Kenneth Leslie, By Stubborn Stars
 * Non-fiction: John Murray Gibbon, Canadian Mosaic

1939

 * Fiction: Franklin D. McDowell, The Champlain Road
 * Poetry or drama: Arthur S. Bourinot Under the Sun
 * Non-fiction: Laura G. Salverson, Confessions of an Immigrant's Daughter

1940

 * Fiction: Ringuet, Thirty Acres
 * Poetry or drama: E. J. Pratt, Brébeuf and His Brethren
 * Non-fiction: J. F. C. Wright, Slava Bohu

1941

 * Fiction: Alan Sullivan, Three Came to Ville Marie
 * Poetry or drama: Anne Marriott, Calling Adventurers
 * Non-fiction: Emily Carr, Klee Wyck

1942
The 1942 awards marked the first time two awards were given for non-fiction literature, a trend that continued until 1958.


 * Fiction: G. Herbert Sallans, Little Man
 * Poetry or drama: Earle Birney, David and Other Poems
 * Non-fiction: Bruce Hutchison, The Unknown Country
 * Non-fiction: Edgar McInnis, The Unguarded Frontier

1943

 * Fiction: Thomas H. Raddall, The Pied Piper of Dipper Creek
 * Poetry or drama: A.J.M. Smith, News of the Phoenix
 * Non-fiction: John D. Robins, The Incomplete Anglers
 * Non-fiction: E.K. Brown, On Canadian Poetry

1944

 * Fiction: Gwethalyn Graham, Earth and High Heaven
 * Poetry or drama: Dorothy Livesay, Day and Night
 * Non-fiction: Dorothy Duncan, Partner in Three Worlds
 * Non-fiction: Edgar McInnis, The War: Fourth Year

1945

 * Fiction: Hugh MacLennan, Two Solitudes
 * Poetry or drama: Earle Birney, Now is Time
 * Non-fiction: Evelyn M. Richardson, We Keep a Light
 * Non-fiction: Ross Munro, Gauntlet to Overlord

1946

 * Fiction: Winifred Bambrick, Continental Revue
 * Poetry or drama: Robert Finch, Poems
 * Non-fiction: Frederick Philip Grove, In Search of Myself
 * Non-fiction: A.R.M. Lower, Colony to Nation

1947

 * Fiction: Gabrielle Roy, The Tin Flute
 * Poetry or drama: Dorothy Livesay, Poems for People
 * Non-fiction: William Sclater, Haida
 * Non-fiction: R. MacGregor Dawson, The Government of Canada

1948

 * Fiction: Hugh MacLennan, The Precipice 
 * Poetry or drama: A.M. Klein, The Rocking Chair and Other Poems
 * Non-fiction: Thomas H. Raddall, Halifax, Warden of the North
 * Non-fiction: C.P. Stacey, The Canadian Army, 1939-1945

1949
The 1949 awards marked the beginning of a category for children's literature.


 * Fiction: Philip Child, Mr. Ames Against Time
 * Poetry or drama: James Reaney, The Red Heart
 * Non-fiction: Hugh MacLennan, Cross-country
 * Non-fiction: R. MacGregor Dawson, Democratic Government in Canada
 * Juvenile: R.S. Lambert, Franklin of the Arctic

1950

 * Fiction: Germaine Guèvremont, The Outlander
 * Poetry or drama: James Wreford Watson, Of Time and the Lover
 * Non-fiction: Marjorie Wilkins Campbell, The Saskatchewan
 * Non-fiction: W.L. Morton, The Progressive Party in Canada
 * Juvenile: Donald Dickie, The Great Adventure

1951

 * Fiction: Morley Callaghan, The Loved and the Lost
 * Poetry or drama: Charles Bruce, The Mulgrave Road
 * Non-fiction: Josephine Phelan, The Ardent Exile
 * Non-fiction: Frank MacKinnon, The Government of Prince Edward Island
 * Juvenile: John F. Hayes, A Land Divided

1952

 * Fiction: David Walker, The Pillar
 * Poetry or drama: E.J. Pratt, Towards the Last Spike
 * Non-fiction: Bruce Hutchison, The Incredible Canadian
 * Non-fiction: Donald G. Creighton, John A. Macdonald, The Young Politician
 * Juvenile: Marie McPhedran, Cargoes on the Great Lakes

1953

 * Fiction: David Walker, Digby
 * Poetry or drama: Douglas LePan, The Net and the Sword
 * Non-fiction: N.J. Berrill, Sex and the Nature of Things
 * Non-fiction: J.M.S. Careless, Canada, A Story of Challenge
 * Juvenile: John F. Hayes, Rebels Ride at Night

1954

 * Fiction: Igor Gouzenko, The Fall of a Titan
 * Poetry or drama: P.K. Page, The Metal and the Flower
 * Non-fiction: Hugh MacLennan, Thirty and Three
 * Non-fiction: A.R.M. Lower, This Most Famous Stream
 * Juvenile: Marjorie Wilkins Campbell, The Nor'westers

1955

 * Fiction: Lionel Shapiro, The Sixth of June
 * Poetry or Drama: Wilfred Watson, Friday's Child
 * Non-fiction: N.J. Berrill, Man's Emerging Mind
 * Non-fiction: Donald G. Creighton, John A. Macdonald, The Old Chieftain
 * Juvenile: Kerry Wood, The Map-Maker

1956

 * Fiction: Adele Wiseman, The Sacrifice
 * Poetry or Drama: Robert A.D. Ford, A Window on the North
 * Non-fiction: Pierre Berton, The Mysterious North
 * Non-fiction: Joseph Lister Rutledge, Century of Conflict
 * Juvenile: Farley Mowat, Lost in the Barrens

1957

 * Fiction: Gabrielle Roy, Street of Riches
 * Poetry or Drama: Jay Macpherson, The Boatman
 * Non-fiction: Bruce Hutchison, Canada: Tomorrow's Giant
 * Non-fiction: Thomas H. Raddall, The Path of Destiny
 * Juvenile: Kerry Wood, The Great Chief

1958

 * Fiction: Colin McDougall, Execution
 * Poetry or Drama: James Reaney, A Suit of Nettles
 * Non-fiction: Pierre Berton, Klondike
 * Non-fiction: Joyce Hemlow, The History of Fanny Burney
 * Juvenile: Edith L. Sharp, Nkwala

1959
In 1959, the awards saw a major change from previous years. Instead of five categories of English-language literature, the awards were now also given for French-language works. The management of the awards was also transferred to the Canada Council.

English

 * Fiction: Hugh MacLennan, The Watch That Ends the Night
 * Poetry or drama: Irving Layton, Red Carpet for the Sun

French

 * Fiction: André Giroux, Malgré tout, la joie
 * Non-fiction: Félix-Antoine Savard, Le barachois

English

 * Fiction: Brian Moore, The Luck of Ginger Coffey
 * Poetry or drama: Margaret Avison, Winter Sun
 * Non-fiction: Frank H. Underhill, In Search of Canadian Liberalism

French

 * Poetry or drama: Anne Hébert, Poèmes
 * Non-fiction: Paul Toupin, Souvenirs pour demain

English

 * Fiction: Malcolm Lowry, Hear Us O Lord from Heaven Thy Dwelling Place
 * Poetry or drama: Robert Finch, Acis in Oxford
 * Non-fiction: T. A. Goudge, The Ascent of Life

French

 * Fiction: Yves Thériault, Ashini
 * Non-fiction: Jean Le Moyne, Convergences

English

 * Fiction: Kildare Dobbs, Running to Paradise
 * Poetry or drama: James Reaney, Twelve Letters to a Small Town and The Killdeer and Other Plays
 * Non-fiction: Marshall McLuhan, The Gutenberg Galaxy

French

 * Fiction: Jacques Ferron, Contes du pays incertain
 * Poetry or drama: Jacques Languirand, Les insolites et les violons de l'automne
 * Non-fiction: Gilles Marcotte, Une littérature qui se fait

English

 * Fiction: Hugh Garner, Hugh Garner's Best Stories
 * Non-fiction: J.M.S. Careless, Brown of the Globe

French

 * Poetry or drama: Gatien Lapointe, Ode au Saint-Laurent
 * Non-fiction: Gustave Lanctot, Histoire du Canada

English

 * Fiction: Douglas LePan, The Deserter
 * Poetry or drama: Raymond Souster, The Colour of the Times
 * Non-fiction: Phyllis Grosskurth, John Addington Symonds

French

 * Fiction: Jean-Paul Pinsonneault, Les terres sèches
 * Poetry or drama: Pierre Perrault, Au coeur de la rose
 * Non-fiction: Réjean Robidoux, Roger Martin du Gard et la religion

English

 * Poetry or drama: Al Purdy, The Cariboo Horses
 * Non-fiction: James Eayrs, In Defence of Canada

French

 * Fiction: Gérard Bessette, L'incubation
 * Poetry or drama: Gilles Vigneault, Quand les bateaux s'en vont
 * Non-fiction: André S. Vachon, Le temps et l'espace dans l'oeuvre de Paul Claudel

English

 * Fiction: Margaret Laurence, A Jest of God
 * Poetry or drama: Margaret Atwood, The Circle Game
 * Non-fiction: George Woodcock, The Crystal Spirit: A Study of George Orwell

French

 * Fiction: Claire Martin, La joue droite
 * Poetry or drama: Réjean Ducharme, L'avalée des avalés
 * Non-fiction: Marcel Trudel, Le comptoir, 1604-1627

English

 * Poetry or drama: Alden Nowlan, Bread, Wine and Salt
 * Poetry or drama: Eli Mandel, An Idiot Joy
 * Non-fiction: Norah Story, The Oxford Companion to Canadian History and Literature

French

 * Fiction: Jacques Godbout, Salut Galarneau
 * Poetry or drama: Françoise Loranger, Encore cinq minutes
 * Non-fiction: Robert-Lionel Séguin, La civilisation traditionnelle de l'habitant aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles

English

 * Fiction: Alice Munro, Dance of the Happy Shades
 * Poetry or drama: Leonard Cohen, Selected Poems 1956-68
 * Non-fiction: Mordecai Richler, Cocksure and Hunting Tigers Under Glass

French

 * Fiction: Hubert Aquin, Trou de mémoire
 * Fiction: Marie-Claire Blais, Manuscrits de Pauline Archange
 * Non-fiction: Fernand Dumont, Le lieu de l'homme

English

 * Fiction: Robert Kroetsch, The Studhorse Man
 * Poetry or drama: George Bowering, Rocky Mountain Foot and The Gangs of Kosmos
 * Poetry or drama: Gwendolyn MacEwen, The Shadow-Maker

French

 * Fiction: Louise Maheux-Forcier, Une forêt pour Zoé
 * Poetry or drama: Jean-Guy Pilon, Comme eau retenue
 * Non-fiction: Michel Brunet, Les canadiens après la conquête

English

 * Fiction: Dave Godfrey, The New Ancestors
 * Poetry or drama: bpNichol, collected works
 * Poetry and prose: Michael Ondaatje, The Collected Works of Billy the Kid

French

 * Fiction: Monique Bosco, La femme de Loth
 * Poetry or drama: Jacques Brault, Quand nous serons heureux
 * Non-fiction: Fernand Ouellette, Les actes retrouvés

English

 * Fiction: Mordecai Richler, St. Urbain's Horseman
 * Poetry or drama: John Glassco, Selected Poems
 * Non-fiction: Pierre Berton, The Last Spike

French

 * Fiction: Gérard Bessette, Le cycle
 * Poetry or drama: Paul-Marie Lapointe, Le réel absolu
 * Non-fiction: Gérald Fortin, La fin d'une règine

English

 * Fiction: Robertson Davies, The Manticore
 * Poetry or drama: Dennis Lee, Civil Elegies and Other Poems
 * Poetry or drama: John Newlove, Lies

French

 * Fiction: Antonine Maillet, Don l'Orignal
 * Poetry or drama: Gilles Hénault, Signaux pour les voyants
 * Non-fiction: Jean Hamelin and Yves Roby, Histoire économique du Québec 1851-1896

English

 * Fiction: Rudy Wiebe, The Temptations of Big Bear
 * Poetry or drama: Miriam Mandel, Lions at her Face
 * Non-fiction: Michael Bell, Painters in a New Land

French

 * Fiction: Réjean Ducharme, L'hiver de force
 * Poetry or drama: Roland Giguère, La main au feu
 * Non-fiction: Albert Faucher, Québec en Amérique au XIXe siècle

English

 * Fiction: Margaret Laurence, The Diviners
 * Poetry or drama: Ralph Gustafson, Fire on Stone
 * Non-fiction: Charles Ritchie, The Siren Years

French

 * Fiction: Victor-Lévy Beaulieu, Don Quichotte de la démanche
 * Poetry or drama: Nicole Brossard, Mécanique jongleuse suivi de Masculin grammaticale
 * Non-fiction: Louise Dechêne, Habitants et marchands de Montréal au XVIIe siècle

English

 * Fiction: Brian Moore, The Great Victorian Collection
 * Poetry or drama: Milton Acorn, The Island Means Minago
 * Non-fiction: Marion MacRae and Anthony Adamson, Hallowed Walls

French

 * Fiction: Anne Hébert, Les enfants du sabbat
 * Poetry or drama: Pierre Perrault, Chouennes
 * Non-fiction: Louis-Edmond Hamelin, Nordicité canadienne

English

 * Fiction: Marian Engel, Bear
 * Poetry or drama: Joe Rosenblatt, Top Soil
 * Non-fiction: Carl Berger, The Writing of Canadian History

French

 * Fiction: André Major, Les rescapés
 * Poetry or drama: Alphonse Piché, Poèmes 1946-1968
 * Non-fiction: Fernand Ouellette, Le Bas Canada 1791-1840, changements structuraux et crise

English

 * Fiction: Timothy Findley, The Wars
 * Poetry or drama: D.G. Jones, Under the Thunder the Flowers Light Up the Earth
 * Non-fiction: Frank Scott, Essays on the Constitution

French

 * Fiction: Gabrielle Roy, Ces enfants de ma vie
 * Poetry or drama: Michel Garneau, Les célébrations et Adidou Adidouce
 * Non-fiction: Denis Monière, Le développement des idéologies au Québec des origines à nos jours

English

 * Fiction: Alice Munro, Who Do You Think You Are?
 * Poetry or drama: Patrick Lane, Poems New and Selected
 * Non-fiction: Roger Caron, Go-Boy! Memories of a Life Behind Bars

French

 * Fiction: Jacques Poulin, Les grandes marées
 * Poetry or drama: Gilbert Langevin, Mon refuge est un volcan
 * Non-fiction: François-Marc Gagnon, Paul-Emile Borduas : Biographie critique et analyse de l'oeuvre

English

 * Fiction: Michael Ondaatje, Divisadero
 * Poetry: Don Domanski, All Our Wonder Unavenged
 * Drama: Colleen Murphy, The December Man
 * Non-fiction: Karolyn Smardz Frost, I’ve Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad
 * Children's literature, text: Iain Lawrence, Gemini Summer
 * Children's literature, illustration: Duncan Weller, The Boy from the Sun
 * French-to-English translation: Nigel Spencer, Augustino and the Choir of Destruction (Marie-Claire Blais, Augustino et le chœur de la déstruction)

French

 * Fiction: Sylvain Trudel, La mer de la tranquillité
 * Poetry: Serge Patrice Thibodeau, Seul on est
 * Drama: Daniel Danis, Le chant du Dire-Dire
 * Non-fiction: Annette Hayward, La querelle du régionalisme au Québec (1904–1931): Vers l’autonomisation de la littérature québécoise
 * Children's literature, text: François Barcelo, La fatigante et le fainéant
 * Children's literature, illustration: Geneviève Côté, La petite rapporteuse de mots
 * English-to-French translation: Lori Saint-Martin and Paul Gagné, Dernières notes (Tamas Dobozy, Last Notes and Other Stories)