2004

2004 Winner:

Kevin Patterson, Country of Cold, Vintage Canada

Kevin Patterson grew up in Manitoba, and put himself through medical school by enlisting in the Canadian army.When his service was up, he worked as a doctor in the Arctic and on the coast of British Columbia while studying for his MFA. He is the author of the bestselling The Water in Between. He resides on Salt Spring Island.

Country of Cold
Exploring themes of fate, identity and the meaning of home, Country of Cold traces the lives of a group of vibrant young men and women raised in rural Canada. Stifled by their provincial locale, they seek freedom in new corners of the world: the haunting landscapes of the North; historic lanes of Montreal; and Paris, where temperatures reach pleasant and unfamiliar highs. As the stories unfold, each character grapples with the impossible puzzles of adulthood.

Fierce ambition meets fiercer competition, and geography no longer offers solutions in the quest for a fulfilling life. Yet one member of their set chooses not to leave the old neighborhood, dutifully practicing medicine in the community of her youth. A final reunion brings these satisfying tales full circle.

Crafted with the keen insight that won accolades for Kevin Patterson’s first book, Country of Cold marks another sparkling achievement in his promising career.

2004 Finalists:

Samuel Bawlf The Secret Voyage of Sir Francis Drake
published by Douglas & McIntyre
Jack Hodgins Distance
published by McLelland & Stewart
Polly Horvath The Canning Season
published by Groundwood Books
Tom Koppel Lost World
published by Vintage Canada
Kevin Patterson Country of Cold
published by Vintage Canada