2024 Dafoe Book Prize Group Photo
(l-r): Dr. Andrea Rounce (Honorary secretary), David Carr (Board member), David Wright (Board chair), John Vaillant, Ariel Gordon (Book prize publicist)
Latest Blog Posts
Dafoe Prize winner reads at Whodunit
On October 29, the 2024 J.W. Dafoe Book Prize winner, John Vaillant, read from Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast to a full house at Whodunit? Mystery Bookstore. This reading followed John’s excellent daytime event at the University of Manitoba, in University College’s Concourse Lounge. David Carr, the former director of University of Manitoba […]
Dafoe Prize winner speaks at UM
At the end of October, John Vaillant came to Winnipeg for events celebrating his 2024 J.W Dafoe Book Prize-winning book, Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast. First up was his daytime event at the University of Manitoba, in University College’s Concourse Lounge. Dr. Gregory Mason, who teaches at UM in addition to his role […]
Book Prize Accepting Submissions for 2025 Prize
The John Wesley Dafoe Foundation is once again pleased to receive submissions for its annual Book Prize. The 2025 J.W. Dafoe Book Prize, valued at $12,000, will be awarded to a publication with a 2024 imprint “. . . for distinguished writing by Canadians, or authors resident in Canada, that contributes to the understanding of […]
John Vaillant coming to UManitoba October 29
The J.W. Dafoe Foundation Presents: The 2024 J.W. Dafoe Book Prize Winner John Vaillant’s Fire Weather 11:30 am – 12:45 pm University of Manitoba University College, Concourse lounge Duff Roblin Professor of Government Department of Political Studies University of Manitoba * John Vaillant is an author and freelance writer based in Vancouver, BC. His work […]
John Vaillant coming to Whodunit? October 29
The J.W. Dafoe Foundation Presents: The 2024 J.W. Dafoe Book Prize Winner John Vaillant’s Fire Weather October 29, 7 pm Whodunit? Mystery Bookstore 163 Lilac Street Light refreshments provided * John Vaillant is an author and freelance writer based in Vancouver, BC. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, National Geographic, and […]
Jurors’ Comments on Book Prize Shortlist
As part of the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the J.W. Dafoe Book Prize, the 2024 jury selected a ten book longlist, a five book shortlist, and a winner, announced June 10. The members of the 2024 J.W. Dafoe Book Prize — Dr. Dale Barbour, Dr. Gregory Mason, and Dr. Catherine Cook — selected […]
2024 Book Prize Winner Announced: Fire Weather by John Vaillant
The J.W. Dafoe Foundation is pleased to announce that John Vaillant has won the 2024 John Wesley Dafoe Book Prize for Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast, published by Alfred A. Knopf Canada. Vaillant’s work is the unanimous choice of this year’s jury, who described the winning book this way: “This is a terrific […]
Shortlist #5: Leo Baskatawang’s Reclaiming Anishinaabe Law
There are five books on the 2024 J.W. Dafoe Book Prize shortlist and today we’re going to highlight Leo Baskatawang’s Reclaiming Anishinaabe Law: Kinamaadiwin Inaakonigewin and the Treaty Right to Education (University of Manitoba Press). Here’s a Q&A with Leo Baskatawang. What were your goals for this book? My primary goal for Reclaiming Anishinaabe Law […]
Shortlist #4: John Vaillant’s Fire Weather
There are five books on the 2024 J.W. Dafoe Book Prize shortlist and today we’re going to highlight John Vaillant’s Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast (Penguin Random House Canada). Here’s a Q&A with John Vaillant. What were your goals for this book? To engage Canadians in their own history, and to connect that […]