Meet the contenders for the W.O. Mitchell Book Prize shortlist

Pic of three W.O Mitchell award finalist book covers

If you are looking for your next great read, then look no further than this year’s W.O. Mitchell Book Prize finalists:

Memory Speaks: On Losing and Reclaiming Language and Self, Julie Sedivy (Harvard University Press)
My Mother, My Translator, Jaspreet Singh (Vehicule Press)
Unbecoming, Neil Surkan (McGill-Queen's University Press)

Each spring, The City of Calgary and the Writers’ Guild of Alberta celebrates and honours Calgary’s thriving and diverse writing community through The City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize. The prize is part of The Calgary Awards honouring outstanding Calgarians in 13 categories.

This year, 47 submissions were received for the 2022 City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize.

Each was evaluated for originality, creativity, and quality of writing. The writer must have lived in Calgary for at least two years. Jury members consider visual style, depth, storyline structure, ability to engage the reader, and themes that resonate with the audience. And while you can’t judge a book by its cover, a compelling interior, production quality and even cover design can contribute to an entry’s overall cache.

Being on the W.O. Mitchell shortlist provides publicity opportunities for the writer and gives the opportunity to discuss a work and put it into cultural context.

“A good book is a delicacy and treat that encompasses the five senses,” says Ellen Kartz, Communications Coordinator at the Writers’ Guild Alberta “The W.O. Mitchell book prize validates excellence in writing and celebrates our thriving story-telling community.”

A finalists’ virtual reading event will take place 7 p.m. on April 28. To register for the virtual event, visit The Calgary Awards website.

Established in 1996, the W.O. Mitchell Book Prize pays honour to Calgary’s beloved namesake storyteller W.O. Mitchell, author of many short stories, plays and books including Who Has Seen the Wind, which sold close to a million copies.

To learn more information on this year’s finalists, visit 2022 Calgary Awards.