Toronto Book Awards shortlist is announced

    TORONTO, June 20 /CNW/ - The Toronto Book Awards Committee today
announced the nominees for the 2007 prize.
    "The books represent a unique view of this diverse city, and made a great
impression on the jury members. We're particularly thrilled to represent so
many disciplines - poetry, novels, short stories, photography, non-fiction -
across the shortlist," said the judges.

    
    The 2007 Toronto Book Awards shortlist is:

    -   Sally Gibson's "Inside Toronto: Urban Interiors 1880s to 1920s"
        published by Cormorant Books Inc.
    -   Geoffrey James's book of photographs "Toronto," published by Douglas
        & McIntyre
    -   Vincent Lam's novel "Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures" published by
        Doubleday Canada
    -   Michael Redhill's novel "Consolation" published by Doubleday Canada
    -   Raymond Souster's book of poems "Uptown Downtown" published by The
        Battered Silicon Dispatch Box.
    

    "Well written, impressively researched, beautifully photographed - as a
whole, the five shortlisted books are a fascinating look at Toronto now and
Toronto one-hundred years ago," said Camilla Holland, Chair of the Committee.
    Established by City Council in 1974, the Toronto Book Awards honour
authors of books of literary or artistic merit that are evocative of Toronto.
The award offers $15,000 in prize money. Each finalist will receive $1,000 and
the winning author receives the remaining prize money. The 2007 Toronto Book
Awards Committee is made up of volunteer members, Camilla Holland, Brian
Jantzi, Winona McMorrow, Sarah Rotering and Herman Silochan.
    The winner will be announced at a reception on September 5. For more
information about the awards, visit www.toronto.ca/book_awards.

    Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home
to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine
of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America.
In the past three years Toronto has won more than 50 awards for quality and
innovation in delivering public services. Toronto's government is dedicated to
prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents.

    
                     Visit our website at www.toronto.ca
    

For further information:

For further information: Media contacts: RoseMarie Demarco, Protocol
Officer, City Clerk's Office, (416) 392-8191; Michaela Cornell, Toronto Book
Awards Publicist, (416) 536-0714