Canada’s Storytellers: the Governor General’s Literary Award Laureates is out now from University of Ottawa Press. Editor Andrew Irvine included several Karsh portraits, both of Governors General and of the Laureates. Field Marshall the Right Honorable Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis, aka His Excellency Viscount Alexander, was 17th Governor General of Canada, from 1946 to 1952. Other Karsh portraits in the book include Jeanne Sauvé, Governor General from 1984 to 1990; and author Gabrielle Roy, a Laureate.

“For over three-quarters of a century, the Governor General’s Literary Awards have been awarded annually in a variety of evolving categories. Fifteen Governors General have served as their patron. The impressive list continues to grow apace: between 1936 and 2018, the awards recognized 719 books in English and French and have been presented to 580 authors, illustrators, and translators.

This beautifully illustrated bilingual compendium presents the biographies of all 580 award laureates, many accompanied by stunning archival portraits.” Learn more.