Awards & Winners

Governor General's Award for English-language fiction

Governor General's Awards

The Governor General's Award for English language fiction is a Canadian literary award, presented annually since 1936 to a work judged to be the year's best work of fiction by a Canadian writer. Originally presented by the Canadian Authors Association, the award became a project of the Canada Council for the Arts in 1959. For much of the award's history, only the winner was named. In 1979, the Canada Council released an advance shortlist preliminary nominees for the first time; except in 1981, a shortlist of between three and six nominees has been released every year since.
Date Established : 1936

Check all the winners of Governor General's Award for English-language fiction presented under Governor General's Awards since 1936 .


Dianne Warren

Honored for : Cool Water

Kate Pullinger

Honored for : The Mistress of Nothing

Nominations 2009 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alice Munro Too Much Happiness
Annabel Lyon The Golden Mean
Deborah Willis Vanishing and Other Stories
Kate Pullinger The Mistress of Nothing
Michael Crummey Galore

Nino Ricci

Honored for : The Origin of Species

Nominations 2008 »

Nominee Nominated Work
David Adams Richards The lost highway
Fred Stenson The Great Karoo
Nino Ricci The Origin of Species
Rawi Hage Cockroach
Rivka Galchen Atmospheric Disturbances

Michael Ondaatje

Honored for : Divisadero

Nominations 2007 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Barbara Gowdy Helpless
David Chariandy Soucouyant
Heather O'Neill Lullabies for Little Criminals
M. G. Vassanji The Assassin's Song
Michael Ondaatje Divisadero

Peter Behrens

Honored for : The Law of Dreams

Nominations 2006 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bill Gaston Gargoyles
Paul Glennon The Dodecahedron, or A Frame for Frames
Peter Behrens The Law of Dreams
Rawi Hage De Niro's Game
Trevor Cole The Fearsome Particles

David Gilmour

Honored for : A Perfect Night to Go to China

Nominations 2005 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Charlotte Gill Ladykiller
David Gilmour A Perfect Night to Go to China
Golda Fried Nellcott is My Darling
Joseph Boyden Three Day Road
Kathy Page Alphabet

Miriam Toews

Honored for : A Complicated Kindness

Nominations 2004 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alice Munro Runaway
Colin McAdam Some great thing
David Bezmozgis Natasha and Other Stories
Miriam Toews A Complicated Kindness
Trevor Cole Norman Bray

Douglas Glover

Honored for : Elle

Nominations 2003 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Douglas Glover Elle
Edeet Ravel Ten thousand lovers
Elizabeth Hay Garbo laughs
Jean McNeil Private View
Margaret Atwood Oryx and Crake

Gloria Sawai

Honored for : A Song for Nettie Johnson

Nominations 2002 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ann Ireland Exile
Carol Shields Unless
David Bergen The case of Lena S.
Gloria Sawai A Song for Nettie Johnson
Wayne Johnston The navigator of New York

Richard B. Wright

Honored for : Clara Callan

Nominations 2001 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jane Urquhart The Stone Carvers
Richard B. Wright Clara Callan
Tessa McWatt Dragons cry
Thomas Wharton Salamander
Yann Martel Life of Pi

Michael Ondaatje

Honored for : Anil's Ghost

Nominations 2000 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Austin Clarke The question
David Adams Richards Mercy among the Children
Eden Robinson Monkey Beach
Margaret Atwood The Blind Assassin
Michael Ondaatje Anil's Ghost

Matt Cohen

Honored for : Elizabeth and After

Nominations 1999 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Anne Fleming Pool-Hopping
Elyse Gasco Can you wave bye bye, baby?
Keith Maillard Gloria
Matt Cohen Elizabeth and After
Neil Bissoondath The Worlds Within Her

Diane Schoemperlen

Honored for : Forms of devotion

Nominations 1998 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Barbara Gowdy The White Bone
Diane Schoemperlen Forms of devotion
Kerri Sakamoto The electrical field
Lynn Coady Strange Heaven
Wayne Johnston The Colony of Unrequited Dreams: A Novel

Jane Urquhart

Honored for : The Underpainter

Nominations 1997 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Elizabeth Hay Small Change
Eric P McCormack First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women
Jane Urquhart The Underpainter
Matt Cohen
Sandra Birdsell The two-headed calf

Guy Vanderhaeghe

Honored for : The Englishman's Boy

Nominations 1996 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Audrey Thomas Coming Down from Wa
Cordelia Strube Teaching pigs to sing
Elisabeth Harvor Let me be the one
Guy Vanderhaeghe The Englishman's Boy
Janice Kulyk Keefer The green library
Margaret Atwood Alias Grace

Greg Hollingshead

Honored for : The Roaring Girl

Nominations 1995 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Barbara Gowdy Mister Sandman
Diane Atkinson Highways and dancehalls
Julie Keith The Jaguar Temple
Richard B. Wright The age of longing
Greg Hollingshead The Roaring Girl

Rudy Wiebe

Honored for : A Discovery of Strangers

Nominations 1994 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alice Munro Open Secrets
Donna McFarlane Division of Surgery
Margaret Atwood The Robber Bride
Rudy Wiebe A Discovery of Strangers
Russell Smith How Insensitive

Carol Shields

Honored for : The Stone Diaries

Nominations 1993 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Carol Shields The Stone Diaries
Carol Windley Visible light
Caroline Adderson Bad imaginings
David Adams Richards For Those Who Hunt The Wounded Down
Thomas King Green Grass, Running Water

Michael Ondaatje

Honored for : The English Patient

Nominations 1992 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Archie Crail The Bonus Deal
John Steffler Afterlife of George Cartwright
Michael Ondaatje The English Patient
Sandra Birdsell The Chrome Suite
Sheila Watson Deep Hollow Creek

Rohinton Mistry

Honored for : Such a Long Journey

Nominations 1991 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Don Dickinson Blue husbands
Douglas Glover A Guide to Animal Behaviour
Margaret Atwood Wilderness Tips
Rohinton Mistry Such a Long Journey
Terry Griggs Quickening

Nino Ricci

Honored for : Lives of the Saints

Nominations 1990 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alice Munro Friend of My Youth
Diane Schoemperlen The man of my dreams
Leslie Hall Pinder On Double Tracks
Nino Ricci Lives of the Saints
Sky Lee Disappearing Moon Cafe

Paul Quarrington

Honored for : Whale Music

Nominations 1989 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ann Copeland The Golden Thread
Helen Weinzweig A View from the Roof
Paul Quarrington Whale Music

David Adams Richards

Honored for : Nights Below Station Street

Nominations 1988 »

Nominee Nominated Work
David Adams Richards Nights Below Station Street
Joan Clark Victory Geraldine Gull
Kenneth Radu The cost of living
Margaret Atwood Cat's Eye
Mark Frutkin Atmosphere's Apollinaire

M. T. Kelly

Honored for : A Dream like Mine

Nominations 1987 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Carol Shields Swann: A Mystery
M. T. Kelly A Dream like Mine

Alice Munro

Honored for : The Progress of Love

Nominations 1986 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alice Munro The Progress of Love
Aritha Van Herk No Fixed Address
John Metcalfe Adult entertainment
Lois Braun A Stone Watermelon

Margaret Atwood

Honored for : The Handmaid's Tale

Nominations 1985 »

Nominee Nominated Work
David Adams Richards Road to the Stilt House
Keath Fraser Foreign affairs
Margaret Atwood The Handmaid's Tale
Sharon Butala Queen of the headaches

Josef Škvorecký

Honored for : Skvorcky the Engineer of Human Souls

Nominations 1984 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Audrey Thomas Intertidal Life
Josef Škvorecký The Engineer of Human Souls
Susan Kerslake Book of Fears
Timothy Findley Not Wanted on the Voyage

Leon Rooke

Honored for : Shakespeare's Dog

Nominations 1983 »

Nominee Nominated Work
H.R. Percy Painted Ladies
Leon Rooke Shakespeare's Dog
Philip Kreiner People Like Us In a Place Like This
Susan Swan The Biggest Modern Woman Of The World

Guy Vanderhaeghe

Honored for : Man Descending

Nominations 1982 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alice Munro The Moons of Jupiter
Chris Scott Antichthon
Guy Vanderhaeghe Man Descending

Mavis Gallant

Honored for : Home Truths

Nominations 1981 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mavis Gallant Home Truths

George Bowering

Honored for : Burning Water

Nominations 1980 »

Nominee Nominated Work
George Bowering Burning Water
Leon Rooke Fat woman
Susan Musgrave The charcoal burners

Jack Hodgins

Honored for : The Resurrection of Joseph Bourne

Nominations 1979 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jack Hodgins The Resurrection of Joseph Bourne
Margaret Atwood Life Before Man
Matt Cohen The sweet second summer of Kitty Malone

Alice Munro

Honored for : Who Do You Think You Are?

Timothy Findley

Honored for : The Wars

Marian Engel

Honored for : Bear

Nominations 1976 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Marian Engel Bear

Brian Moore

Honored for : The Great Victorian Collection

Nominations 1975 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Brian Moore The Great Victorian Collection

Margaret Laurence

Honored for : The Diviners

Rudy Wiebe

Honored for : The Temptations of Big Bear

Nominations 1973 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Margaret Laurence The Diviners
Rudy Wiebe The Temptations of Big Bear

Robertson Davies

Honored for : The Manticore

Mordecai Richler

Honored for : St. Urbain's Horseman

Nominations 1971 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robertson Davies The Manticore
Mordecai Richler St. Urbain's Horseman

Dave Godfrey

Honored for : The New Ancestors

Nominations 1970 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Dave Godfrey The New Ancestors

Robert Kroetsch

Honored for : The Studhorse Man

Nominations 1969 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robert Kroetsch The Studhorse Man

Alice Munro

Honored for : Dance of the Happy Shades

Nominations 1968 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alice Munro Dance of the Happy Shades

Margaret Laurence

Honored for : A Jest of God

Nominations 1966 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Margaret Laurence A Jest of God

Douglas LePan

Honored for : Deserter

Nominations 1964 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Douglas LePan Deserter

Hugh Garner

Honored for : Best Stories

Nominations 1963 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Hugh Garner Best Stories

Kildare Dobbs

Honored for : Running to Paradise

Nominations 1962 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Kildare Dobbs Running to Paradise

Malcolm Lowry

Honored for : Hear Us O Lord from Heaven Thy Dwelling Place

Nominations 1961 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Malcolm Lowry Hear Us O Lord from Heaven Thy Dwelling Place

Brian Moore

Honored for : The Luck of Ginger Coffey

Nominations 1960 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Brian Moore The Luck of Ginger Coffey

Hugh MacLennan

Honored for : The Watch That Ends the Night

Nominations 1959 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Hugh MacLennan The Watch That Ends the Night

Colin McDougall

Honored for : Execution

Nominations 1958 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Colin McDougall Execution

Gabrielle Roy

Honored for : Street of Riches

Nominations 1957 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Gabrielle Roy Street of Riches

Adele Wiseman

Honored for : The sacrifice

Nominations 1956 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Adele Wiseman The sacrifice

Lionel Shapiro

Honored for : The Sixth of June

Nominations 1955 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Lionel Shapiro The Sixth of June

Igor Gouzenko

Honored for : The Fall of a Titan

Nominations 1954 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Igor Gouzenko The Fall of a Titan

David Walker

Honored for : Digby

Nominations 1953 »

Nominee Nominated Work
David Walker Digby

David Walker

Honored for : The Pillar

Nominations 1952 »

Nominee Nominated Work
David Walker The Pillar

Morley Callaghan

Honored for : The Loved and the Lost

Nominations 1951 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Morley Callaghan The Loved and the Lost

Germaine Guèvremont

Honored for : The Outlander

Nominations 1950 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Germaine Guèvremont The Outlander

Philip Child

Honored for : Mr. Ames Against Time

Nominations 1949 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Philip Child Mr. Ames Against Time

Hugh MacLennan

Honored for : The Precipice

Nominations 1948 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Hugh MacLennan

Gabrielle Roy

Honored for : The Tin Flute

Nominations 1947 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Gabrielle Roy The Tin Flute

Winifred Bambrick

Honored for : Continental Revue

Nominations 1946 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Winifred Bambrick Continental Revue

Hugh MacLennan

Honored for : Two Solitudes

Nominations 1945 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Hugh MacLennan Two Solitudes

Gwethalyn Graham

Honored for : Earth and High Heaven

Nominations 1944 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Gwethalyn Graham Earth and High Heaven

Thomas Head Raddall

Honored for : The Pied Piper of Dipper Creek

Nominations 1943 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Thomas Head Raddall The Pied Piper of Dipper Creek

G. Herbert Sallans

Honored for : Little Man

Nominations 1942 »

Nominee Nominated Work
G. Herbert Sallans Little Man

Alan Sullivan

Honored for : Three Came to Ville Marie

Philippe Panneton

Honored for : Thirty Acres

Nominations 1940 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alan Sullivan Three Came to Ville Marie

Franklin D. McDowell

Honored for : The Champlain Road

Nominations 1939 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Franklin D. McDowell The Champlain Road

Gwethalyn Graham

Honored for : Swiss Sonata

Nominations 1938 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Gwethalyn Graham Swiss Sonata

Laura Salverson

Honored for : The Dark Weaver

Nominations 1937 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Laura Salverson The Dark Weaver

Bertram Brooker

Honored for : Think of the Earth

Nominations 1936 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bertram Brooker Think of the Earth