Atlantic Book Awards 2021: Meet the Nominees

Welcome to the virtual version of the 2021 Atlantic Book Awards and Festival!   

Halifax Public Libraries is pleased to partner with the Atlantic Book Awards Society to bring together readers, writers, and illustrators to celebrate the rich diversity and excellence in Atlantic Canadian writing and publishing. Check out the list of nominees below, and several video features from nominated writers.

The Board of the non-profit Atlantic Book Awards Society also gratefully acknowledges the support of the Canada Book Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts,  Alliance Française Halifax, Chapters/Indigo/Coles, CTV, and Halifax Public Libraries. For more information about the Atlantic Book Awards and to view our full shortlist announcement, visit our website at www.atlanticbookawards.ca


2021 finalists

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Nominee videos

A Long Journey: Residential Schools in Labrador and Newfoundland by Andrea Procter

Finalist for the Atlantic Book Award for Scholarly Writing, Sponsored by Marquis Book Printing

A Long Journey


Capturing Crime by Carol Taylor 

Finalist for the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award – Non-Fiction, sponsored by Weed Man Maritimes, Heritage House Law Office and I Love Renovations


Cod Collapse: The Rise and Fall of Newfoundland’s Saltwater Cowboys by Jennifer Thonhill-Verma 

Finalist for the Democracy 250 Atlantic Book Award for Historical Writing

Cod Collapse


The Dome Chronicles by Garry Leeson

Finalist for the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award – Non-Fiction, sponsored by Weed Man Maritimes, Heritage House Law Office and I Love Renovations

The Dome Chronicles


The Forager’s Dinner: Finding, harvesting, and preparing Newfoundland and Labrador’s edible plants by Shawn Dawson

Finalist for the Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association Best Atlantic-Published Book Award, Sponsored by Friesens Corporation


The Miramichi Fire: A History by Alan MacEachern

Finalist for the Atlantic Book Award for Scholarly Writing, Sponsored by Marquis Book Printing


Peace by Chocolate: The Hadhad Family’s Remarkable Journey from Syria to Canada by Jon Tattrie

Finalist for the Robbie Robertson Dartmouth Book Award (Non-Fiction), sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Dartmouth

Peace by Chocolate


The Silence of the Vessel: A Novel by Brenda MacLennan-Dunphy

Finalist for the Jim Connors Dartmouth Book Award (Fiction), presented by Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission and Cluett Insurance

The Silence of the Vessel


Silver Hair and Golden Voice: Austin Willis, From Halifax to Hollywood by Ernest J. Dick 

Finalist for the Democracy 250 Atlantic Book Award for Historical Writing

Silver Hair and Golden Voice


Winter Road by Wayne Curtis

Finalist for the Alistair MacLeod Prize for Short Fiction

Winter Road