Victoria writer Esi Edugyan won the $100,000 Scotiabank Giller Prize for her novel Washington Black, published by Patrick Crean Editions. The award was announced Monday evening at a black-tie dinner and award ceremony hosted by Canadian comedian, television personality and author Rick Mercer and attended by nearly 500 members of the publishing, media and arts communities.

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Canadian writers Kamal Al-Solaylee, Maxine Bailey and Heather O含羞草研究社橬eill along with American writer John Freeman and English novelist Philip Hensher made up the jury panel.

含羞草研究社淗ow often history asks us to underestimate those trapped there,含羞草研究社� the jury wrote of Washington Black. 含羞草研究社淭his remarkable novel imagines what happens when a black man escapes history含羞草研究社檚 inevitable clasp 含羞草研究社� in his case, in a hot air balloon no less. Washington Black, the hero of Esi Edugyan含羞草研究社檚 novel is born in the 1800s in Barbados with a quick mind, a curious eye and a yearning for adventure. In conjuring Black含羞草研究社檚 vivid and complex world 含羞草研究社� as cruel empires begin to crumble and the frontiers of science open like astounding vistas 含羞草研究社� Edugyan has written a supremely engrossing novel about friendship and love and the way identity is sometimes a far more vital act of imagination than the age in which one lives.含羞草研究社�

Edugyan won the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2011 for her novel Half-Blood Blues.

c.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca
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