Alumnus Ian Williams wins the Scotiabank Giller Prize
Published: November 20, 2019
Alumnus Ian Williams has won the 2019 Scotiabank Giller Prize for his debut novel, Reproduction.
The jury described Reproduction as many things at once: “It’s an engrossing story of disparate people brought together and also a masterful unfolding of unexpected connections and collisions between and across lives otherwise separated by race, class, gender and geography.”
A three-time graduate of the Faculty of Arts & Science, Williams originally planned to be a doctor – but after taking Professor Julia Reibetanz’s introduction to poetry class in his first year of undergraduate studies, he switched to a double major in psychology and English. Williams went on to obtain his master’s degree from the department of English, followed by his doctoral degree under the supervision of Professor George Elliott Clarke.
The author of two books of poetry and one short story collection, Williams is now an assistant professor in the creative writing program at the University of British Columbia.
