Presented to a full house at Club Soda on May 16, the Prix des libraires gala provided a festive setting for the Conseil des arts de Montréal to award a $5,000 cash prize to Dahlia Namian, the winner in the Québec Essay category. Her work, La société de provocation, was published by Lux Éditeur.
Dahlia Namian
“The Prix des libraires comes as an unexpected honour, and I’d like to express my gratitude to everyone who helped make it possible. First and foremost, I’d like to thank booksellers, the beacons in the night who, inspired by a passion to bring books to life and share the joy of reading, are shedding light on the dark times we live in. It’s thanks to their love of the trade that La société de provocation has been picked up by so many hands. To my readers, and to Lux Éditeur, I extend my warmest thanks. Together, we share the same desire to denounce the injustices and turmoil that darken the face of our planet and our lives.
“Against the backdrop of this shared struggle, this award is an expression of our collective indignation, a gentle but determined revolt against the stranglehold of money on culture and free thought. My sincere thanks go to all those who have allowed my humble book to find its place, and to all those who continue to defend, in their own ways, the voice of the oppressed and forgotten. This award is a great honour.”
Honoured to join forces with the Prix des libraires du Québec in its mission to promote all literary genres, the Conseil des arts de Montréal has awarded cash prizes in the Essay category for the past seven years and in the Youth category for the past 13.
“The great strength of essays is their ability to embody and humanize abstract issues while making them understandable to readers. By partnering with the Essay category for the seventh year running, the Conseil des arts de Montréal is proud to support the talent and dedication of Québec writers who are bringing their intelligence and sensitivity to bear on realities that need to be explored in greater depth.”
— Nathalie Maillé, Executive Director, Conseil des arts de Montréal
