November 24, 2000

 

City of Vancouver Book Award to be presented
December 5

The City of Vancouver Book Award will be presented by Mayor Philip Owen on:

Tuesday, December 5, 2000
Vancouver City Hall
Council Chambers, Third Floor
453 West 12th Avenue
2 p.m. (at start of regular Council meeting)

The award is a $2,000 prize that has been presented annually since 1989 to authors of books in any genre that demonstrate excellence and contribute to the appreciation and understanding of Vancouver’s history, unique character or the achievements of its residents. The presentation of this year’s award was originally slated for October 17, but was delayed due to the civic labour dispute.

This year’s finalists are:

• Collin Varner and Christine Allen for Gardens of Vancouver (Raincoast Books), an in-depth tour of 26 of Vancouver’s finest private gardens, that includes an essay on the origins of gardening in the city.

• Lilia D’Acres and Donald Luxton for Lions Gate (Talonbooks), a look at the complicated and sometimes mysterious past of the Lions Gate Bridge.

• Wayson Choy for Paper Shadows: A Chinatown Childhood (Penguin Canada), a chronicle of his life growing up in Vancouver’s Chinatown.

• Wing Chung Ng for The Chinese in Vancouver, 1945-80: The Pursuit of Identity and Power (UBC Press), a historical look at the cultural identity struggle of Chinese immigrants and their Canadian-born descendants in Vancouver.

The finalists and winner are decided by an independent panel of judges. The award is funded by interest from the City’s Publishing Reserve Fund which was established in 1977 as a permanent legacy for writers and publishers. The fund receives royalties generated from a photo history of Vancouver edited by City staff.

 

Media enquiries:

Nancy Duxbury
Office of Cultural Affairs
871-6003

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(c) 2000 City of Vancouver