Best of Political Writing – The Shaughnessy Cohen Prize

Leisure readers and their leisure reading come in many forms. I can recall being so surprised a few years ago when I realized just how many readers consider cookbooks as a form of leisure reading. Different strokes for different folks.

For further example, there are definitely many readers who love nothing better than digging into a book on politics. Whether it is a memoir, a expose on scandals, or even a book on political strategies, these readers thrive on getting the inside scoop.

For these readers, there is the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing.

This award, named in honour of the popular and outspoken member of Parliament from Windsor, ON., celebrates “a non-fiction book that captures a political subject of interest to Canadian readers and enhances our understanding of the issue. The winning work combines compelling new insights with depth of research and is of significant literary merit. Strong consideration is given to books that, in the opinion of the jury, have the potential to shape or influence Canadian political life.“

This year’s finalists are:

Arrival City: the final migration and our next world,
by Doug Saunders.

Harperland: the politics of control,
by Lawrence Martin.

The Madman and the Butcher: the sensational wars of Sam Hughes and General Arthur Currie,
by Tim Cook.

The Ghosts of Europe: journeys through Central Europe’s troubled past and uncertain future,
by Anna Porter.

Polar Imperative: a history of Arctic sovereignty in North America,
by Shelagh D. Grant.