TORONTO – April 9, 2019 – Scott Griffin, on behalf of the trustees of The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry, is pleased to announce the International and Canadian shortlist for this year’s prize. Judges Ulrikka Gernes (Denmark), Srikanth Reddy (USA), and Kim Maltman (Canada) each read 510 books of poetry, from 32 countries, including 37 translations.
The authors of the seven shortlisted books —four International and three Canadian—will be invited to read in Toronto at Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory in the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto, on Wednesday, June 5 at 7.30 p.m.
The finalists will each be awarded $10,000 for their participation in the Shortlist Readings.
The two winners, to be announced at the Griffin Poetry Prize Awards on Thursday, June 6, will each be awarded $65,000.
Announcing the Griffin Poetry Prize 2019 Shortlist
International Shortlist
The Perseverance • Raymond Antrobus
Penned in the Margins
Lake Michigan • Daniel Borzutzky
University of Pittsburgh Press
Autobiography of Death • Don Mee Choi, translated from the Korean
written by Kim Hyesoon
New Directions
Negative Space • Ani Gjika, translated from the Albanian
written by Luljeta Lleshanaku
Bloodaxe Books
Canadian Shortlist
The Blue Clerk • Dionne Brand
McClelland & Stewart
Quarrels • Eve Joseph
Anvil Press
The Art of Dying • Sarah Tolmie
McGill-Queen’s University Press
Tickets for the Shortlist Readings to be held on Wednesday, June 5, at Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory in the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto are available at https://www.rcmusic.com/events-and-performances/griffin-poetry-prize-readings, or by calling (416) 408-0208.
Each year, The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry presents an anthology of poems selected from the shortlisted books, published by House of Anansi Press. The 2019 Anthology can be purchased at https://houseofanansi.com/products/the-2019-griffin-poetry-prize-anthology.
Note to booksellers: Griffin Poetry Prize book stickers are supplied free of charge by The Griffin Trust. Contact info@griffinpoetryprize.com to place an order. Winner book stickers will be available after June 6.
Please direct other inquiries as follows:
| Media Inquiries:Melissa Shirley Telephone: (647) 389-9510 publicity@griffinpoetryprize.com |
General Inquiries:Ruth Smith, Executive Director Telephone: (905) 618-0420 info@griffinpoetryprize.com |
Shortlisted Publishers’ Web sites:
Anvil Press:
anvilpress.com
Bloodaxe Books:
bloodaxebooks.com
McGill-Queen’s University Press:
mqup.ca
McClelland & Stewart:
penguinrandomhouse.ca/imprints/mcclelland-stewart
New Directions:
ndbooks.com
Penned in the Margins:
pennedinthemargins.co.uk
University of Pittsburgh Press:
upress.pitt.edu
Shortlist summary, poet bios and citations
Download press release, poet bios and citations | Download photos
Purchase 2019 Griffin Prize Anthology and shortlist books online
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