For the record: Ellen Seligman’s literary legacy

Few literary editors can claim as profound an influence on Canadian fiction than Ellen Seligman, a legend in her craft and editor of Canadian authors including Margaret Atwood, Leonard Cohen and Michael Ondaatje. Seligman edited 23 books that won Governor General’s literary awards, and also published books by Nobel prize-winning writer Alice Munro. She died last month.

Kristin Cochrane, president and publisher of Penguin Random House, called it "next to impossible to express the grief I know we all feel with the loss of this incomparable woman." Elizabeth Hay, another Canadian great who proudly worked alongside Seligman, recalled an attention to detail that was "heroic." Giller-nominated Jane Urquhart called Seligman "an author’s most essential advocate and guide."

The immediate reaction to Seligman’s death, which came from all corners of Canada’s literary world, constantly referenced the long reach of Seligman’s red pen, her devotion to the authors with whom she worked—and the influence readers might never know she had on the books they read.

We reached out Penguin Random House in search of a list of just some of the award-winning titles that found their audience thanks, in part, to Seligman’s steady hand. The publishing house sent us an impressive list of Scotiabank Giller Prizes, Man Booker Prizes, International IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards, Griffin Poetry Prizes, Governor General’s Literary Awards, Amazon.ca First Novel Award Winners, and even a Nobel Prize on which Seligman left her mark. Click the links above or scroll below for the whole collection. Titles marked with two asterisks won awards, while one asterisk identifies finalists. The remaining titles were long-listed.

Scotiabank Giller Prize

• 1994

  The Book of Secrets M.G. Vassanji**   Funny Boy Shyam Selvadurai*

• 1995

  A Fine Balance Rohinton Mistry**

• 1996

  Alias Grace Margaret Atwood**   Fugitive Pieces Anne Michaels*   The Englishman’s Boy Guy Vanderhaeghe*

• 1997

  Where She Has Gone Nino Ricci*

• 1998

  Childhood André Alexis*

• 2000

  Anil’s Ghost Michael Ondaatje**   Burridge Unbound Alan Cumyn*   A Student of Weather Elizabeth Hay*

• 2001

  The Russlander Sandra Birdsell*   The Stone Carvers Jane Urquhart*

• 2003

  Oryx and Crake Margaret Atwood*   The Island Walkers John Bemrose*

• 2005

  The Time in Between David Bergen**

• 2007

  Late Nights on Air Elizabeth Hay**   Divisadero Michael Ondaatje*

• 2008

  The Retreat David Bergen   Red Dog, Red Dog Patrick Lane

• 2009

  The Winter Vault Anne Michaels*   The Year of the Flood Margaret Atwood

• 2010

  Cities of Refuge Michael Helm   Sanctuary Line Jane Urquhart

• 2011

  Cat’s Table Michael Ondaatje*   A Good Man Guy Vanderhaeghe

• 2015

  A Beauty Connie Gault

Man Booker Prize

• 1986

  The Handmaid’s Tale Margaret Atwood*

• 1989

  Cat’s Eye Margaret Atwood*

• 1991

  Such a Long Journey Rohinton Mistry*

• 1992

  The English Patient Michael Ondaatje**

• 1996

  Alias Grace Margaret Atwood*   A Fine Balance Rohinton Mistry*

• 1999

  The Blackwater Lightship Colm Tóibín*

• 2000

  The Blind Assassin Margaret Atwood**

• 2001

  The Stone Carvers Jane Urquhart

• 2002

  Family Matters Rohinton Mistry*

• 2003

  Oryx and Crake Margaret Atwood*   The Good Doctor Damon Galgut*   Astonishing Splashes of Colour Clare Morrall*

• 2004

  The Island Walkers John Bemrose   The Master Colm Tóibín

• 2009

  The Little Stranger Sarah Waters*

• 2010

  In a Strange Room Damon Galgut*

• 2013

  The Luminaries Eleanor Catton**   The Testament of Mary Colm Tóibín*

• 2015

  The Illuminations Andrew O’Hagan   The Green Road Anne Enright

International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award

• 1996

  Away Jane Urquhart

• 1997

  A Fine Balance Rohinton Mistry*

• 1998

  Alias Grace Margaret Atwood*   The Englishman’s Boy Guy Vanderhaeghe*

• 2001

  The Blackwater Lightship Colm Tóibín*

• 2002

  The Blind Assassin Margarat Atwood*

• 2004

  Family Matters Rohinton Mistry*

• 2005

  The Good Doctor Damon Galgut*

• 2006

  The Master Colm Tóibín**

• 2011

  Brooklyn Colm Tóibín*

The Nobel Prize in Literature

• 2013

  Alice Munro**

Griffin Poetry Prize

Seligman was the acquiring editor for the poetry titles listed below.

• 2001

  Another Gravity Don McKay*

• 2003

  thirsty Dionne Brand*

• 2004

  Loop Anne Simpson**

• 2005

  Short Journey Upriver Toward Ōishida Roo Borson**   Camber Don McKay*

• 2007

  Strike/Slip Don McKay**

• 2011

  Ossuaries Dionne Brand**   Lookout John Steffler*

• 2014

  Red Doc> Anne Carson**   Correspondences Anne Michaels*

Governor General’s Literary Awards

Seligman was the in-house or acquiring editor for the winners in the poetry category.

• 1979

  There’s a Trick with a Knife I’m Learning to Do Michael Ondaatje (poetry)

• 1981

  The Collected Poems of F.R. Scott F.R. Scott (poetry)

• 1983

  Settlements David Donnell (poetry)

• 1984

  Celestial Navigation Paulette Jiles (poetry)

• 1985

  The Handmaid’s Tale Margaret Atwood (fiction)

• 1986

  The Collected Poems of Al Purdy Al Purdy (poetry)

• 1987

  Afterworlds Gwendolyn MacEwen (poetry)

• 1988

  Nights Below Station Street David Adams Richards (fiction)

• 1991

  Such a Long Journey Rohinton Mistry (fiction)   Night Field Don McKay (poetry)

• 1992

  The English Patient Michael Ondaatje (fiction)   Inventing the Hawk Lorna Crozier (poetry)

• 1996

  The Englishman’s Boy Guy Vanderhaeghe (fiction)

• 1997

  The Underpainter Jane Urquhart (fiction)   Land to Light On Dionne Brand (poetry)

• 2000

  Anil’s Ghost Michael Ondaatje (fiction)   Another Gravity Don McKay (poetry)

• 2003

  Kill-site Tim Lilburn (poetry)

• 2004

  Short Journey Upriver Toward Ōishida Roo Borson (poetry)

• 2007

  Divisadero Michael Ondaatje (fiction)

• 2012

  The Purchase Linda Spalding (fiction)

• 2013

  The Luminaries Eleanor Catton (fiction)

• 2015

  Daddy Lenin and Other Stories by Guy Vanderhaeghe (fiction)

Amazon.ca First Novel Award Winners (formerly Books in Canada First Novel Award)

• 1991

  Such a Long Journey Rohinton Mistry

• 1992

  The Afterlife of George Cartwright John Steffler

• 1994

  Funny Boy Shyam Selvadurai

• 1996

  Fugitive Pieces Anne Michaels

• 1997

  Opium Dreams Margaret Gibson

• 1998

  Childhood André Alexis

• 2006

  Certainty Madeleine Thien

• 2010

  The Rehearsal Eleanor Catton (as publisher)

Acclaimed Non-fiction

I’ll Tell You a Secret Anne ColemanFinalist for the Governor General’s Award for Non-fiction

From Harvey RiverLorna GoodisonWinner of the B.C. National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction
Finalist for the Charles Taylor Prize

WaveSonali DeraniyagalaNational Book Critics Circle Award Finalist