Toronto author Anne Michaels wins Giller Prize for novel ‘Held’

TORONTO — Poet-novelist Anne Michaels has won the Giller Prize for her novel “Held,” a multi-generational examination of war and trauma.

The 100,000 Canadian dollar ($71,000) Giller prize honors the best in Canadian fiction. Past winners have included Margaret Atwood, Mordecai Richler and Alice Munro.

Michaels appealed for “unity” among “all the arts” during her speech Monday night at the Toronto ceremony, held under the shadow of anti-war protests by other members of the literary community.

Outside the Park Hyatt hotel, protesters renewed demands for the Giller Foundation to cut ties with several corporate sponsors, including Scotiabank over its stake in Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems.

Inside, the gala went off without any disruptions after last year’s ceremony was beset by pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

“Held” moves backwards and forwards through time as it follows a photographer-turned-First World War solider, his descendants, their spouses and their spouses’ parents. The Giller jury cited “Held” as an impactful and hypnotic exploration of mortality, resilience and desires.

The Giller was created in 1994 by late businessman Jack Rabinovitch in memory of his late wife, literary journalist Doris Giller.