National Business Book Award Announces Finalists

Shortlisted nominees offer prescriptive insights in Canadian business

TORONTO, May 5, 2014 /CNW/ - The finalists for the National Business Book Award, one of Canada's most prestigious literary awards, were announced today by co-sponsors PwC and BMO Financial Group.  Selected by a seven-member independent jury, the finalists will vie for a $20,000 prize that will be awarded on May 26 to the author of the most outstanding Canadian business-related book published in 2013.

This year's submissions cover a range of topics that reflect the conversations that Canadian businesses are having every day.  The jury evaluates eligible nominations based on five key criteria -- originality, relevance, excellence of writing, thoroughness of research and depth of analysis.

The finalists are:

• Jim Leech and Jacquie McNish, The Third Rail: Confronting Our Pension Failures, published by Signal, an imprint of McClelland & Stewart. Leech, who was the head of one of Canada's largest public sector pension plans, and McNish, a well-respected business journalist and author, combine history, education, context, and solution-oriented case studies for Canada's looming pension crisis. The authors argue that unless public policy moves to rehabilitate the country's ailing pension system, a grim future awaits both retirees and taxpayers.
  
  
• Nina Munk, The Idealist: Jeffrey Sachs and the Quest to End Poverty, published by Signal, an imprint of McClelland & Stewart. Munk, journalist and author, tells the complicated story of Jeffrey Sachs' multi-phase foreign-aid program to eradicate poverty in Africa. This thoroughly researched book recounts the launch of Sachs' Millennium Village Projects and provides insights that can be applied to any country dealing with poverty.
  
  
• Donald J. Savoie, Harrison McCain: Single-Minded Purpose, published by McGill-Queen's University Press. Savoie, an academic and author, provides a comprehensive profile of a remarkable Canadian businessman and entrepreneur. He chronicles the circumstances and relationships that shaped Harrison McCain's professional style and success. Based on McCain's personal papers, the book is a family history, individual biography, business case study, review of public policy in Canada and a "how-to-succeed" manual.

The National Business Book Award jury is chaired by Roger Martin, Professor at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. Businessman David Denison and author and publisher Anna Porter have joined the panel this year. Other jurors include: William Dimma, Chairman Emeritus, Home Capital Group, Inc.; Peter Mansbridge, Chief Correspondent, CBC Television News; Deirdre McMurdy, Adjudicator; and The Honourable Pamela Wallin.

Now in its 29^th year, the National Business Book Award is an annual celebration of Canadian authors of exceptional non-fiction, business-related books. It continues to gain attention from not only the Canadian business world, but also publishers, authors, journalists, academics, economists and business leaders around the world.

The winner of the Award will be announced on May 26, 2014 at a luncheon in Toronto hosted by PwC and BMO Financial Group.

Last year's National Business Book Award winner was Chrystia Freeland for her book Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else.

SOURCE: National Business Book Award

For more information visit www.nbbaward.com, or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Mary Ann Freedman
Freedman & Associates Inc. for the National Business Book Award
Tel: [phone]
Email: [email protected]