The League of Canadian Poets is proud to present the 2021 Book Awards Shortlists, including the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award, the Pat Lowther Memorial Award, and the Raymond Souster Award.

The winners – who will each receive $2000 thanks to funding from Canada Council for the Arts , Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and Canada Book Fund – will be announced on May 6, 2021. This announcement will be shared via our newsletter and social media, so be sure to follow @CanadianPoets to keep up to date on all the latest announcements and news.

The winners of the 2021 Book Awards will be announced on May 6, 2020. 

2021 GERALD LAMPERT MEMORIAL AWARD SHORTLIST

Awarded annually since 1981, the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award is given in the memory of Gerald Lampert, an arts administrator who organized author tours and took a particular interest in the work of new writers. The award recognizes a first book of poetry published by a Canadian writer in the preceding year. The award carries a $2000 prize and is sponsored by the LCP.

Bertrand Bickersteth – The Response of Weeds (NeWest Press, 2020)

Jillian Christmas – the gospel of breaking (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2020)

Valerie Mason-John – I Am Still Your Negro (University of Alberta Press, 2020)

Bahar Orang – Where Things Touch (Book*hug Press, 2020)

Tyler Pennock – Bones (Brick Books, 2020)

Natasha Ramoutar – Bittersweet (Mawenzi House, 2020)

Thank you to the jurors for the 2021 Gerald Lampert Memorial Award: DA Lockhart, Nisha Patel and Phoebe Wang. 

See the Press package including author photos, bios, and juror comments: 2021 Gerald Lampert Shortlist Package

2021 PAT LOWTHER MEMORIAL AWARD SHORTLIST

Open to Canadian women, the Pat Lowther Memorial Award has been awarded annually since 1981 for a book of poetry published in the preceding year. This prize is in memory of the late Pat Lowther, whose career was cut short by her untimely death in 1975. The award carries a $2000 prize, and is sponsored by the LCP.

Cicely Belle Blain – Burning Sugar (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2020)

Jody Chan – Sick (Black Lawrence Press, 2020)

Jillian Christmas – the gospel of breaking (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2020)

Kyla Jamieson – Body Count (Nightwood Editions, 2020)

shalan joudry – Waking Ground (Gaspereau Press, 2020)

Noor Naga – Washes, Prays (McClelland & Stewart, 2020)

Thank you to the jurors for the 2021 Pat Lowther Memorial Award: Puneet Dutt, Doyali Islam and Cassidy McFadzean

See the Press package including author photos, bios, and juror comments: 2021 Pat Lowther Shortlist Package

2021 RAYMOND SOUSTER AWARD SHORTLIST

The Raymond Souster Award was started in 2013 to honour Raymond Souster, an early founder of the League of Canadian Poets. The award is presented annually for a book of poetry by a League member published in the preceding year. The award carries a $2000 prize, and is sponsored by the LCP.

Sadiqa de Meijer – The Outer Wards (Véhicule Press/Signal Poetry, 2020)

Klara du Plessis – Hell Light Flesh (Palimpsest Press, 2020)

Jessie Jones – The Fool (Goose Lane Editions, 2020)

Michael Prior – Burning Province (McClelland & Stewart, 2020)

John Elizabeth Stintzi – Junebat (House of Anansi Press, 2020)

Ian Williams – Word Problems (Coach House Books, 2020)

Thank you to the jurors for the 2021 Raymond Souster Award: Cheryl Antao-Xavier, Jacob MacArthur Mooney and David Martin

Check out the 2021 Book Awards Longlists