The Eaton’s Book Award is no longer presented. It’s importance to a fledgling B.C. book industry is seldom, if ever, remembered or cited.
Initiated by Andy Wright of the Eaton’s book department in Vancouver, the annual Eaton’s B.C. Book Award essentially preceded the B.C. Book Prizes (originated in 1985) as British Columbia’s most prestigious literary prize exclusively for British Columbia authors.
It was first presented in 1975 and last presented in 1983. The judges for most of the contests were unchanged: Margaret Prang (from UBC), Gordon Elliott (from SFU) and Walter Young (UVic). The judges for the final year were Margaret Prang, Leslie Peterson (Vancouver Sun) and Chuck Davis (author/broadcaster).
The presentation ceremony was a modest affair, usually in one of the Eaton’s book departments. The award included a gift of $1,500 worth of copies to the Ministry of Education for distribution to B.C.’s schools.
The winning titles were:
Cail, Robert E.
Land, Man and the Law: The Disposal of Crown Lands in British Columbia, 1871-1913 (UBC Press, 1974).
Hodgins, Jack
Spit Delaney’s Island (Macmillan, 1976)
Howard White (editor)
Raincoast Chronicles First Five: Stories and History of the B.C. Coast (Harbour, 1976)
Cole, Douglas & Maria Tippett
From Desolation to Splendour: Changing Perceptions of the British Columbia Landscape (Clarke, Irwin, 1977)
Reksten, Terry
Rattenbury (Sono Nis, 1978)
Steltzer, Ulli & Catherine Kerr
Coast of Many Faces (Douglas & McIntyre, 1979)
Downs, Barry
Sacred Places (Douglas & McIntyre, 1980)
Brody, Hugh
Maps and Dreams (Douglas & McIntyre, 1981)
Bowen, Lynne
Boss Whistle: The Coal Miners of Vancouver Island Remember (Lantzville: Oolichan Books, 1982)
