Giller winner Souvankham Thammavongsa takes home $20K Trillium Book Award

TORONTO —
Scotiabank Giller Prize winner Souvankham Thammavongsa is adding Ontario’s top literary prize to her trophy case.

Thammavongsa was awarded the Trillium Book Award for “How to Pronounce Knife,” published by McClelland & Stewart.

The Toronto-based writer’s debut book of short stories won the Giller last fall. Thammavongsa was also recognized with a Trillium prize in 2013 for an early work of poetry.

Daniele Vallee’s “Sept nuits dans la vie de Cherie,” published by Editions David, took the French-language Trillium Book Award.

Both authors receive $20,000 apiece for Trillium’s main book prize, which recognizes literary excellence across genres. Their publishers receive $2,500 to promote the titles.

Four Ontario writers were celebrated at the virtual awards event on Tuesday evening.

The Trillium Book Award for Poetry, which celebrates one of the first three works by a rising wordsmith, went to Jody Chan for “sick,” from Black Lawrence Press.

The winner for French-language children’s literature was Eric Mathieu for “Capitaine Boudu et les enfants de la Cedille,” published by Editions L’Interligne.

In each of these categories, the author receives $10,000 and their publisher receives $2,000.

The Trillium Book Award, established in 1987, is presented by the provincial agency Ontario Creates.

Previous winners include Dionne Brand, Alice Munro, Margaret Atwood and Thomas King.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2021.