Giller nominee to read in Westmount

The book, Hage’s first novel, has been shortlisted for the 2006 Scotiabank Giller Prize.

De Niro’s Game is set against the backdrop of the Lebanese Civil War. The book tells the tale of two friends, Bassam and George, who become involved with crime in Beirut in the early 1980s as they choose their respective destinies. The book has received glowing reviews, in addition to its selection for the Giller shortlist, and film rights have been bought by Atom Egoyan’s production company.

Hage, who like his protagonists is of Christian Lebanese origin, came to Montreal in 1991. He studied at Dawson College and Concordia University, earning a degree in visual arts. Displays of Hage’s work in photography and other media have been mounted in galleries around the world, and the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Musée de la civilisation de Québec have both acquired pieces of his visual artwork. He has also curated film festivals and art exhibits.

Hage writes in English, his third language. His short stories have appeared in numerous journals and magazines, and his story The Salad Lady was included in the 2004 anthology Dinarzad’s Children: An Anthology of Contemporary Arab American Fiction.

The Scotiabank Giller Prize is Canada’s largest literary prize. Founded by Jack Giller in 1994 in memory of his late wife Doris, the award recognises excellence in Canadian literary fiction. In 2005, Scotiabank agreed to co-sponsor the prize, doubling the money awarded. The Giller winner will receive $40,000, while the other four finalists will each receive $2,500. The winner of the 2006 Scotiabank Giller Prize will be announced on November 7.

The discussion with Hage will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Westmount Room, and is free of charge to library members. A sign-up sheet is available at the library’s circulation desk.