Ryerson Fiction Award
The Ryerson Fiction Award, also known as the All-Canada Prize, was a Canadian literary award, presented irregularly between 1942 and 1960. Presented by Ryerson Press,[1] the award was given to an unpublished manuscript by a new or emerging writer, which was then published by Ryerson Press,[2] and the prize consisted of $1,000 of which $500 was an advance on royalties.[1]
| Ryerson Fiction Award | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | unpublished manuscript by a Canadian writer |
| Country | Canada |
| Presented by | Ryerson Press |
| First awarded | 1942 |
| Last awarded | 1960 |
Although it was considered one of the major Canadian literary awards in its era, few of the winning novels remain well-remembered today.[2] Only five titles which won the award ever went on to a subsequent paperback reprint,[2] with Edward McCourt's Music at the Close the only title that was selected for McClelland & Stewart's New Canadian Library reprint series in the 1970s.[2]
Statistics
Two works, G. Herbert Sallans' Little Man and Philip Child's Mr. Ames Against Time, won both the Ryerson Fiction Prize and the Governor General's Award for English-language fiction in the same year; one other writer, Laura Salverson, won both awards for different works. Three writers — Child, Will R. Bird and Gladys Taylor — won the award twice, although both of Bird's wins and one of Child's were in ties with other writers.
Winners
- 1942 – G. Herbert Sallans, Little Man[3]
- 1943 – no award[4]
- 1944 – no award
- 1945 – (tie) Will R. Bird, Here Stays Good Yorkshire and Philip Child, Day of Wrath
- 1946 – no award
- 1947 – (tie) Edward McCourt, Music at the Close and Will R. Bird, Judgment Glen
- 1948 – no award
- 1949 – Philip Child, Mr. Ames Against Time[5]
- 1950 – Jeann Beattie, Blaze of Noon[6]
- 1951 – no award
- 1952 – no award
- 1953 – Evelyn M. Richardson, Desired Haven[7]
- 1954 – Laura Salverson, Immortal Rock[1]
- 1955 – no award
- 1956 – Gladys Taylor, Pine Roots[8]
- 1957 – Joan Walker, Repent at Leisure[9]
- 1958 – Gladys Taylor, The King Tree
- 1959 – Arthur G. Storey, Prairie Harvest[10]
- 1960 – E. M. Granger Bennett, Short of the Glory[11]
References
- "Ryerson Award Winner". The Gazette, March 13, 1954.
- Brian Busby, "Anyone Care About the Ryerson Fiction Award?". The Dusty Bookcase, January 7, 2013.
- "Ryerson Press Fiction Award Contest Opens". Winnipeg Tribune. June 27, 1944. p. 19. Retrieved August 21, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
- "No Novel Chosen". Lethbridge Herald. July 4, 1943. p. 9. Retrieved August 21, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Toronto Novelist Wins Ryerson Award". Ottawa Journal. May 21, 1949. p. 40. Retrieved August 21, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Wins Fiction Award". Ottawa Journal. May 27, 1950. p. 1. Retrieved August 21, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Wife of Nova Scotia Lighthouse Keeper Wins Ryerson Award". Ottawa Journal. March 28, 1953. p. 8. Retrieved August 21, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Ryerson Fiction Award". Ottawa Journal. March 14, 1959. p. 44. Retrieved April 14, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Joan Walker of Swastika Wins Fiction Award". Ottawa Journal, April 20, 1957.
- "Winning Author". Ottawa Journal. March 14, 1959. p. 9. Retrieved August 21, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Ryerson Fiction Award Winner". Ottawa Journal. March 26, 1960. p. 4. Retrieved August 21, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.