Highlighters, Pencil Case, $106K Book Award...

As back-to-school fast approaches, excitement builds for one thing: the announcing of prestigious book awards. Congratulations go out to Toronto writer Michael Redhill for having his second book Consolation nominated for the Man Booker Prize. Redhill’s book is being hailed as regaining the oomph Canadian historical fiction has been lacking lately. The work, which was chosen as one of Torontoist's favourite books of the last year, is alternately gorgeous and revealing. It weaves together two narratives that center around a recent suicide and a sunken cargo ship, all the while balancing the stories against the evolving landscape of Toronto.

So you might want to pick up a copy while you’re chosing protractors and finding that sweet Rainbow Bright lunchbox you’ve been eyeing since grade six. In the meantime, Consolation will be going up against some heavy hitters, namely Ian McEwan’s On Chesil Beach and The Gathering by Anne Enright. Given out since 1969, past Canadian winners of the Booker Prize include Life of Pi author Yann Martel and literary pillars Michael Ondaatje and Margaret Atwood.

Redhill’s work is also nominated for this year’s Toronto Book Awards which are to be given out just as you’re scamming those notes for SOC 355 from a guy who’s already taken the course (September 5).

Photos courtesy of Random House.