Kim Echlin and the Giller Prize

My wife Nancy and I have been in a wonderful book club for something like 15 years (so long that I’ve lost track of exactly how long). Because of a connection to one of our members, the wonderful writer, Kim Echlin, has come to our book club for each of her novels, Elephant Winter, Dagmar’s Daughter, and last week for her latest gem, The Disappeared. Kim has so much on her plate that she very seldom does book clubs so we were thrilled she was able to join us in our home last Monday evening. It was doubly wonderful because The Disappeared was recently shortlisted for the Giller, among the most prestigious literary awards in Canada.

As usual, Kim was warm, gracious, funny, and interesting as she talked about her luminous new novel. It’s a beautifully written story of lost love set in Montreal and Cambodia. Based on the reactions of our book club members, I wouldn’t be surprised if The Disappeared rated as one of the best books we’ve ever read as a group.

Now we’re all on tenterhooks awaiting the announcement on November 10th of the winner of the Giller Award and the $50,000 prize.  There is stiff competition among the finalists including some real CanLit heavyweights, but we’re all rooting for Kim Echlin, an extraordinary writer whose time has come. Fingers crossed…