The winner was chosen from a list of five finalists, which itself was whittled down from a long list of 12 books by writers including Casey Plett, Kim Thuy and Katherena Vermette.

The Star’s reviewer said it “succeeds at what one senses might be El Akkad’s goal - to deepen our engagement with the world around us and with others’ stories.” This was the first Giller nod for the Egyptian-born writer, who moved to Canada as a teenager and now lives in the United States. “ What Strange Paradise” (McClelland & Stewart, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada) is El Akkad’s second novel, and delves into the experience of refugees. “taking care of our two kids so I can run around playing boy author.” Finally he thanked his father, saying he was “honoured to accept the prize in my father's memory.” When he took the stage, choking back tears, he thanked his mom, Nivin, holding up the prize and saying “Mom, this is yours everything’s yours.” He also thanked his wife, Theresa, who is at their home in Portland, Ore. His tablemates and his mother, who accompanied him, might have thought otherwise. They were: Angélique Lalonde for her story collection “ Glorious Frazzled Beings” Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia for her novel “ The Son of The House” Miriam Toews for her novel “ Fight Night” and Jordan Tannahill for his novel “ The Listeners.”Įven chatting minutes before his name was announced, El Akkad was convinced he wasn't going to win. The other four finalists were each awarded a prize of $10,000. John Irving, Margaret Atwood, Bob Rae, along with a host of other celebrities and the audience were, as co-host Paul Sun-Hyung Lee described, “vaccinated, tested, excited.” Co-host Rupi Kaur was resplendent in a chartreuse number “that's not a dress, it’s a gown,” someone at my table quipped.

Omar el akkad books