Awards & Winners

Governor General's Award for English-language non-fiction

Governor General's Awards

This is a list of recipients of the Governor General's Award for English-language non-fiction.

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


Allan Casey

Honored for : Lakeland: Journeys into the Soul of Canada

M. G. Vassanji

Honored for : A Place Within: Rediscovering India

Nominations 2009 »

Nominee Nominated Work
M. G. Vassanji A Place Within: Rediscovering India

Christie Blatchford

Honored for : Fifteen Days: Stories of Bravery, Friendship, Life and Death from Inside the New Canadian Army

Nominations 2008 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Christie Blatchford Fifteen Days: Stories of Bravery, Friendship, Life and Death from Inside the New Canadian Army

Karolyn Smardz Frost

Honored for : I've Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad

Nominations 2007 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Karolyn Smardz Frost I've Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad

Ross King

Honored for : The Judgement of Paris

Nominations 2006 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ross King The Judgement of Paris

John Vaillant

Honored for : The Golden Spruce

Nominations 2005 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Vaillant The Golden Spruce

Roméo Dallaire

Honored for : Shake Hands with the Devil

Nominations 2004 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Roméo Dallaire Shake Hands with the Devil

Margaret MacMillan

Honored for : Paris 1919

Nominations 2003 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Margaret MacMillan Paris 1919

Andrew Nikiforuk

Honored for : Saboteurs: Wiebo Ludwig's War Against Big Oil

Nominations 2002 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Andrew Nikiforuk Saboteurs: Wiebo Ludwig's War Against Big Oil

Thomas Homer-Dixon

Honored for : The Ingenuity Gap

Nominations 2001 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Thomas Homer-Dixon The Ingenuity Gap

Nega Mezlekia

Honored for : Notes from the Hyena's Belly

Nominations 2000 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Nega Mezlekia Notes from the Hyena's Belly

Marq de Villiers

Honored for : Water

Nominations 1999 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Marq de Villiers Water

David Adams Richards

Honored for : Lines on the Water

Nominations 1998 »

Nominee Nominated Work
David Adams Richards Lines on the Water

Rachel Manley

Honored for : Drumblair

Nominations 1997 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Rachel Manley Drumblair

John Ralston Saul

Honored for : Unconscious Civilization

Nominations 1996 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Ralston Saul Unconscious Civilization

Rosemary Sullivan

Honored for : Shadow Maker

Nominations 1995 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Rosemary Sullivan Shadow Maker

John Livingston

Honored for : Rogue Primate

Nominations 1994 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Livingston Rogue Primate

Karen Connelly

Honored for : Touch the Dragon

Nominations 1993 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Karen Connelly Touch the Dragon

Maggie Siggins

Honored for : Revenge of the Land

Nominations 1992 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Maggie Siggins Revenge of the Land

Robert Calihoo, Robert Hunter

Honored for : Occupied Canada

Nominations 1991 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robert Calihoo Occupied Canada

Stephen Clarkson, Christina McCall

Honored for : Trudeau and Our Times

Nominations 1990 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Stephen Clarkson Trudeau and Our Times
Christina McCall Trudeau and Our Times

Robert Calder

Honored for : Willie, the Life of W. Somerset Maugham

Nominations 1989 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robert Calder Willie, the Life of W. Somerset Maugham

Anne Collins

Honored for : In the Sleep Room

Nominations 1988 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Anne Collins In the Sleep Room

Michael Ignatieff

Honored for : The Russian Album

Nominations 1987 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Michael Ignatieff The Russian Album

Northrop Frye

Honored for : Northrop Frye on Shakespeare

Nominations 1986 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Northrop Frye Northrop Frye on Shakespeare

George Ramsay Cook

Honored for : The Regenerators

Nominations 1985 »

Nominee Nominated Work
George Ramsay Cook The Regenerators

Sandra Gwyn

Honored for : The Private Capital: Ambition and Love in the Age of Macdonald and Laurier

Nominations 1984 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sandra Gwyn The Private Capital: Ambition and Love in the Age of Macdonald and Laurier

Jeffery Williams

Honored for : Byng of Vimy

Nominations 1983 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jeffery Williams Byng of Vimy

Christopher Moore

Honored for : Louisbourg Portraits

Nominations 1982 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Christopher Moore Louisbourg Portraits

George Calef

Honored for : Caribou and the Barren-Lands

Nominations 1981 »

Nominee Nominated Work
George Calef Caribou and the Barren-Lands

Jeffrey Simpson

Honored for : Discipline of Power

Nominations 1980 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jeffrey Simpson Discipline of Power

Maria Tippett

Honored for : Emily Carr

Nominations 1979 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Maria Tippett Emily Carr

Roger Caron

Honored for : Go-boy!

Nominations 1978 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Roger Caron Go-boy!

F. R. Scott

Honored for : Essays on the Constitution

Nominations 1977 »

Nominee Nominated Work
F. R. Scott Essays on the Constitution

Carl Berger

Honored for : The Writing of Canadian history

Anthony Adamson, Marion MacRae

Honored for : Hallowed Walls

Nominations 1975 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Marion MacRae Hallowed Walls

Charles Ritchie

Honored for : The Siren Years

Nominations 1974 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Charles Ritchie The Siren Years

Michael Bell

Honored for : Painters in a New Land: from Annapolis Royal to the Klondike

Nominations 1973 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Michael Bell Painters in a New Land: from Annapolis Royal to the Klondike

Pierre Berton

Honored for : The Last Spike

Mordecai Richler

Honored for : Cocksure, Hunting Tigers Under Glass

Nominations 1968 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mordecai Richler Hunting Tigers Under Glass

Norah Story

Honored for : The Oxford Companion to Canadian History and Literature

Nominations 1967 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Norah Story The Oxford Companion to Canadian History and Literature

George Woodcock

Honored for : The Crystal Spirit: A Study of George Orwell

Nominations 1966 »

Nominee Nominated Work
George Woodcock The Crystal Spirit: A Study of George Orwell

James Eayrs

Honored for : In Defence of Canada

Nominations 1965 »

Nominee Nominated Work
James Eayrs In Defence of Canada

Phyllis Grosskurth

Honored for : John Addington Symonds

Nominations 1964 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Phyllis Grosskurth John Addington Symonds

James Maurice Stockford Careless

Honored for : Brown of the Globe

Nominations 1963 »

Nominee Nominated Work
James Maurice Stockford Careless Brown of the Globe

Marshall McLuhan

Honored for : The Gutenberg Galaxy

Nominations 1962 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Marshall McLuhan The Gutenberg Galaxy

T. A. Goudge

Honored for : The Ascent of Life

Nominations 1961 »

Nominee Nominated Work
T. A. Goudge The Ascent of Life

Frank Underhill

Honored for : In Search of Canadian Liberalism

Nominations 1960 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Frank Underhill In Search of Canadian Liberalism

Joyce Hemlow

Honored for : The History of Fanny Burney

Nominations 1958 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Joyce Hemlow The History of Fanny Burney
Pierre Berton Klondike

Pierre Berton

Honored for : Klondike

Nominations 1958 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Joyce Hemlow The History of Fanny Burney
Pierre Berton Klondike

Bruce Hutchison

Honored for : Canada: Tomorrow's Giant

Nominations 1957 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bruce Hutchison Canada: Tomorrow's Giant
Thomas Head Raddall The path of destiny

Thomas Head Raddall

Honored for : The path of destiny

Nominations 1957 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bruce Hutchison Canada: Tomorrow's Giant
Thomas Head Raddall The path of destiny

Joseph Lister Rutledge

Honored for : Century of Conflict

Nominations 1956 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Joseph Lister Rutledge Century of Conflict
Pierre Berton Mysterious North

Pierre Berton

Honored for : Mysterious North

Nominations 1956 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Joseph Lister Rutledge Century of Conflict
Pierre Berton Mysterious North

Donald Creighton

Honored for : John A. Macdonald

Nominations 1955 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Donald Creighton John A. Macdonald
N.J. Berrill Man's Emerging Mind

N.J. Berrill

Honored for : Man's Emerging Mind

Nominations 1955 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Donald Creighton John A. Macdonald
N.J. Berrill Man's Emerging Mind

Arthur R. M. Lower

Honored for : This Most Famous Stream

Nominations 1954 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Arthur R. M. Lower This Most Famous Stream
Hugh MacLennan Thirty & Three

Hugh MacLennan

Honored for : Thirty & Three

Nominations 1954 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Arthur R. M. Lower This Most Famous Stream
Hugh MacLennan Thirty & Three

James Maurice Stockford Careless

Honored for : Canada, A Story of Challenge

Nominations 1953 »

Nominee Nominated Work
James Maurice Stockford Careless Canada, A Story of Challenge
N.J. Berrill Sex and the Nature of Things

N.J. Berrill

Honored for : Sex and the Nature of Things

Nominations 1953 »

Nominee Nominated Work
James Maurice Stockford Careless Canada, A Story of Challenge
N.J. Berrill Sex and the Nature of Things

Bruce Hutchison

Honored for : Incredible Canadian

Nominations 1952 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bruce Hutchison Incredible Canadian
Donald Creighton John A. Macdonald

Donald Creighton

Honored for : John A. Macdonald

Nominations 1952 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bruce Hutchison Incredible Canadian
Donald Creighton John A. Macdonald

Frank Douglas MacKinnon

Honored for : The Government of Prince Edward Island

Nominations 1951 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Frank Douglas MacKinnon The Government of Prince Edward Island
Josephine Phelan The Ardent Exile

Josephine Phelan

Honored for : The Ardent Exile

Nominations 1951 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Frank Douglas MacKinnon The Government of Prince Edward Island
Josephine Phelan The Ardent Exile

Marjorie Wilkins Campbell

Honored for : The Saskatchewan

Nominations 1950 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Marjorie Wilkins Campbell The Saskatchewan
W. L. Morton The Progressive Party in Canada

W. L. Morton

Honored for : The Progressive Party in Canada

Nominations 1950 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Marjorie Wilkins Campbell The Saskatchewan
W. L. Morton The Progressive Party in Canada

Hugh MacLennan

Honored for : Cross-Country

Nominations 1949 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Hugh MacLennan Cross-Country
Robert MacGregor Dawson Democratic Government in Canada

Robert MacGregor Dawson

Honored for : Democratic Government in Canada

Nominations 1949 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Hugh MacLennan Cross-Country
Robert MacGregor Dawson Democratic Government in Canada

Charles Perry Stacey

Honored for : The Canadian Army, 1939-1945

Nominations 1948 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Charles Perry Stacey The Canadian Army, 1939-1945
Thomas Head Raddall Halifax Warden of the North

Thomas Head Raddall

Honored for : Halifax Warden of the North

Nominations 1948 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Charles Perry Stacey The Canadian Army, 1939-1945
Thomas Head Raddall Halifax Warden of the North

Robert MacGregor Dawson

Honored for : The Government of Canada

Nominations 1947 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robert MacGregor Dawson The Government of Canada
William Sclater Haida

William Sclater

Honored for : Haida

Nominations 1947 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robert MacGregor Dawson The Government of Canada
William Sclater Haida

Arthur R. M. Lower

Honored for : Colony to Nation

Nominations 1946 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Arthur R. M. Lower Colony to Nation
Frederick Philip Grove In Search of Myself

Frederick Philip Grove

Honored for : In Search of Myself

Nominations 1946 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Arthur R. M. Lower Colony to Nation
Frederick Philip Grove In Search of Myself

Evelyn M. Richardson

Honored for : We Keep a Light

Nominations 1945 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Evelyn M. Richardson We Keep a Light
Ross Munro Gauntlet to Overlord

Ross Munro

Honored for : Gauntlet to Overlord

Nominations 1945 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Evelyn M. Richardson We Keep a Light
Ross Munro Gauntlet to Overlord

Dorothy Duncan

Honored for : Partner in three worlds

Nominations 1944 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Dorothy Duncan Partner in three worlds
Edgar McInnes The War: Fourth Year

Edgar McInnes

Honored for : The War: Fourth Year

Nominations 1944 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Dorothy Duncan Partner in three worlds
Edgar McInnes The War: Fourth Year

E. K. Brown

Honored for : On Canadian Poetry

Nominations 1943 »

Nominee Nominated Work
E. K. Brown On Canadian Poetry
John D. Robins The Incomplete Anglers

John D. Robins

Honored for : The Incomplete Anglers

Nominations 1943 »

Nominee Nominated Work
E. K. Brown On Canadian Poetry
John D. Robins The Incomplete Anglers

Bruce Hutchison

Honored for : Unknown Country

Nominations 1942 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bruce Hutchison Unknown Country
Edgar McInnes The Unguarded Frontier

Edgar McInnes

Honored for : The Unguarded Frontier

Nominations 1942 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bruce Hutchison Unknown Country
Edgar McInnes The Unguarded Frontier

Emily Carr

Honored for : Klee Wyck

Nominations 1941 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Emily Carr Klee Wyck

James Frederick Church Wright

Honored for : Slava Bohu

Laura Salverson

Honored for : Confessions of An Immigrant's Daughter

Nominations 1939 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Laura Salverson Confessions of An Immigrant's Daughter

John Murray Gibbon

Honored for : Canadian Mosaic

Nominations 1938 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Murray Gibbon Canadian Mosaic

Stephen Leacock

Honored for : My Discovery of the West

Nominations 1937 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Stephen Leacock My Discovery of the West

T. B. Robertson

(Collected Newspaper articles)