Andrew Preston wins the 2013 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction!
Submitted by Grace on March 4, 2013 - 4:15pm
At a luncheon in Toronto early this afternoon, Andrew Preston was named the winner of the 2013 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction. Preston, a professor at Cambridge University and expert in American foreign relations, will receive $25,000. The jury praised Preston's Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith: Religion in American War and Diplomacy (Random House Canada), which follows the influence of religion on American foreign policy, for its "originality" and "bravery".
Preston took the stage to give his thanks without a speech prepared, noting he hadn't expected to win. He thanked his editor, Paul Taunton of Random House Canada, as well as his American editor, the jury, prize founder Noreen Taylor, his wife and children in the UK and his parents, who were in attendance.
Each of the remaining four nominees will receive a $2,000 honorarium. They are:
The prize luncheon was hosted by CBC's Mary Ito and featured an introduction by Governor General David Johnston. The jury was made up of Susanne Boyce, Richard Gwyn and Joe Kertes.
Preston joins past Charles Taylor prize winners, including his fellow nominee this year, Tim Cook, who won the prize in 2009, journalist Ian Brown and current juror Richard Gwyn, amongst many other fine writers.
