Guess the Giller: B Style!

Tonight the 2009 Giller Prize winner will be announced - hip hip hoorah! I thought I could have a bit of fun with all the anticipation by trying to guess the Giller winner using my own special brand of logic.

Here's how it works: I'm going to tag each of the previous 10 Giller Prize winners as if they're blog posts. Hopefully some trends will emerge and I can decide with absolute certainty who the winner will be. Sounds fool proof? Let's proceed:

2008 - Through Black Spruce (Joseph Boyden): spruce, northern Ontario, models, near death experiences, bush planes, family ties, alcoholism, defeat, triumph...retribution?

2007: Late Nights on Air(Elizabeth Hay): CBC? or something like it, northern Canada, canoe trips, jealousy, love triangles (wait, was there a romantic sub-plot? Yes, yes there was), tundra, alcoholism, escapism, stoicism, lack of family ties

2006: Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures(Vincent Lam) short stories, Toronto, blood, surgery, medical experiments (I made that one up), diversity, romance (for sure this time), the pressure to succeed, family ties, traditional vs. modern, SARS!!!, DEATH!!!!!

2005: The Time in Between(David Bergen): wizards, British class systems, young love, danger, spells, Hogwarts...wrong book! I've never read Bergen, actually. I've never read Harry Potter either.

2004: Runaway(Alice Munro): what, was I not alive pre-2005? I haven't read this one either. Alright, Alice Munro. Think, think. Rural Canada, moral conundrums, seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary, hidden danger, Alien Slugs from Space? I give up.

2003: The In-Between World of Vikram Lall(M.G.Vassanji): Oh oh I had to read this for a poli sci essay in third year! I totally bombed the essay. OK hmm let's see: Kenya, political oppression, danger, corruption, 76%..yes that was the mark on that essay. Damn.

2002:The Polished Hoe(Austin Clarke): Hoe. Polished. The.

2001:Clara Callan (Richard Wright): I was practically a fetus at this point so give me a break.

2000: This year was a tie so it doesn't count.

1999: Was the year that Britney Spears' smash hit 'Baby Hit Me One More Time' was released. Good year.

VERDICT: *fizz* *pop* *snap* *BZZZZZ* (that's the sound of my super computer tabulating the above) Either Colin McAdam or Kim Echlin will win! Taaa daaaa. Yes, sorry loyalties must win out here!