Giller Prize
2 appearances
-
Edition 18 (2011) Winner
-
Edition 25 (2018) Winner
Esi Edugyan
エシ・エドゥギャン
Esi Edugyan
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1978-01-01 （Calgary, Alberta）
- Nationality
- Canada
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Calgary, Alberta → Victoria, British Columbia
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Novelist
- Active Years
- 2004-
- Influenced By
- Jack Hodgins
- Nominations
- 2011 Man Booker Prize shortlist — Half-Blood Blues, 2011 Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize shortlist — Half-Blood Blues, 2011 Governor General's Award for English-language fiction — Half-Blood Blues, 2012 Walter Scott Prize shortlist — Half-Blood Blues, 2018 Man Booker Prize shortlist — Washington Black, 2018 Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize shortlist — Washington Black, 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction shortlist — Washington Black, 2020 International Dublin Literary Award shortlist — Washington Black
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Victoria | — | Creative Writing | BA | — | Canada |
| Johns Hopkins University (Writing Seminars) | — | Writing Seminars | MA | — | United States |
University of Victoria
Creative Writing
Degree:
BA
Country:
Canada
Mentored by Jack Hodgins.
Johns Hopkins University (Writing Seminars)
Writing Seminars
Degree:
MA
Country:
United States
Earned a master's degree from the Writing Seminars.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Scotiabank Giller Prize | Half-Blood Blues | — | Scotiabank Giller Prize | Winner |
| 2012 | Anisfield-Wolf Book Award | Half-Blood Blues | — | Cleveland Public Library (Anisfield-Wolf) | Winner |
| 2018 | Scotiabank Giller Prize | Washington Black | — | Scotiabank Giller Prize | Winner |
Scotiabank Giller Prize
2011
Work:
Half-Blood Blues
Organization:
Scotiabank Giller Prize
Result:
Winner
Anisfield-Wolf Book Award
2012
Work:
Half-Blood Blues
Organization:
Cleveland Public Library (Anisfield-Wolf)
Result:
Winner
Scotiabank Giller Prize
2018
Work:
Washington Black
Organization:
Scotiabank Giller Prize
Result:
Winner
Awards & Nominations
Anisfield-Wolf Book Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 77 (2012) Winner
Works
Major Works
The Second Life of Samuel Tyne
2004 Fiction (Literary novel)Debut novel exploring immigration, identity and community through the life and family history of Samuel Tyne.
immigrationidentityfamily
Half-Blood Blues
2011 Historical fiction / Interwar fictionA novel set in interwar Berlin about jazz musicians, friendship, betrayal, racism and the burdens of history, centring on a mixed-race youth, Hieronymus (Hiero).
racemusic (jazz)friendshipmemory and the impact of war
Dreaming of Elsewhere: Observations on Home
2014 Non-fiction / EssayEssays on belonging and the idea of 'home', published as part of the Henry Kreisel Memorial Lecture Series.
belonginghomeculture
Washington Black
2018 Historical fiction / AdventureSet in the 19th century, it follows Washington Black, a formerly enslaved boy, on his flight to freedom and coming-of-age, exploring themes of liberty, science and friendship.
slavery and emancipationfreedomfriendship and mentorship
Out of the Sun: On Race and Storytelling
2022 Non-fiction / LecturesA collection of lectures presented as the CBC Massey Lectures, reflecting on race, the power of storytelling, and the responsibilities of the writer.
racestorytellingliterary responsibility
Bibliography
- The Second Life of Samuel Tyne (2004)
- Half-Blood Blues (2011)
- Dreaming of Elsewhere: Observations on Home (2014)
- Washington Black (2018)
- Out of the Sun: On Race and Storytelling (2022)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- lyrical, precise descriptionhistory-focused narrative voicedeep psychological interiority
- Recurring Motifs
- music (notably jazz)migration and belongingrace and discriminationmemory and traces of the past
Legacy
Esi Edugyan is a Canadian novelist internationally recognized for works on race, history and belonging. She is one of the few writers to win the Scotiabank Giller Prize twice and is regarded as a significant contemporary voice in English-language literature.
Trivia
- Born to parents from Ghana and raised in Calgary.
- Married to writer Steven Price; has two children.
- Won the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2011 and 2018, one of the few writers to win it twice.
- Chaired the Booker Prize jury in 2023.