City of Toronto announces powerhouse shortlist including David Chariandy's decorated novel Brother

The City of Toronto and Toronto Public Library have announced the five 2018 Toronto Book Awards shortlisted titles. Established by Toronto City Council in 1974, the awards honour books of literary merit that are evocative of Toronto. 

The 2018 Toronto Book Awards Shortlist: 

• Dionne Brand curated The Unpublished City published by Book*hug 
• David Chariandy's Brother published by McClelland & Stewart 
• Carrianne Leung's That Time I Loved You published by Harper Collins 
• Lee Maracle's My Conversations with Canadians published by Book*hug 
• Kerri Sakamoto's Floating City published by Knopf Canada 

"Every year, The Toronto Book Awards highlights the diversity of prose and creative vision of our city’s writers," said Mayor John Tory. "This year's short list adds to Toronto’s deep and rich literary legacy and I congratulate all the nominees." 

See the nominees in person:

The winner of the 2018 award will be announced on October 10 at an event at the Toronto Reference Library. Members of the public are welcome to attend the awards ceremony hosted by CBC Radio's Gill Deacon at the Bram and Bluma Appel Salon starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are free and will be available at tpl.ca/appelsalon starting in September. 

Shortlisted authors are scheduled to read from their books at The Word On the Street book and magazine festival at Harbourfront Centre from noon to 5:00p.m. on September 23. They will also participate in a reading and panel discussion at Malvern Library on October 3 at 7:00p.m. 

This is the 44th year of the Toronto Book Awards. The annual awards offer $15,000 in prize money. Each shortlisted finalist will receive $1,000, with $10,000 going to the winner. This year's Toronto Book Awards Committee is composed of volunteer members Nathan Adler, Susan G. Cole, Soraya Peerbaye, Itah Sadu, and Open Book's own Kevin Hardcastle.