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by: Sheri Block
Date: 11/10/2009 9:46:00 AM ET

Seamus O’Regan is thrilled to be hosting the Scotiabank Giller Prize for the fourth time, but admits he has got a bit of homework to do before the awards are handed out Tuesday night.

“I’m always cramming. It’s like college all over again,” says the Canada AM host with a laugh. “But I think when you host a show like this you owe the authors the respect of making sure you read their books.”

• Read an excerpt from "The Golden Mean" and all the other nominated books here on CTV.ca
• WATCH the 2009 Scotiabank Giller Prize LIVE TONIGHT on CTV.ca
• WATCH Arts&Minds 2009 Giller Writers' Circle

The Giller and $50,000 cash prize will be awarded at a black-tie gala in Toronto to one of the short-listed authors: Kim Echlin, Annabel Lyon, Linden MacIntyre, Colin McAdams or Anne Michaels. The four runners-up will also receive $5,000.

Established in 1994 by Jack Rabinovitch in memory of his wife Doris Giller, a literary journalist who passed away a year earlier from cancer, the award was rebranded the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2005.

In the past five years since CTV has taken over the broadcast, O’Regan has only missed one year – in 1996 – due to being on assignment in Afghanistan. Justin Trudeau was instead asked to host.

But even still, O’Regan says he never takes his hosting duties for granted.

“I always kind of look at Jack Rabinovitch and he’s like, ‘Well, of course you’re doing it.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, ok.’ I’m always very grateful to do it … it’s an honour for me to be there.”

This year’s crop of books are a diverse collection of fiction – Echlin’s “The Disappeared” is a memory-tale of love and loss set against the backdrop of the Cambodian genocide; Lyon’s “The Golden Mean” is a story of philosopher Aristotle and his pupil Alexander; Linden MacIntyre’s “The Bishop’s Man” is about the inner life of a priest amidst scandal in the Catholic Church; Colin McAdams’ “Fall” is a twisted tale of two friends at an elite boarding school and Anne Michaels’ “The Winter Vault” is a novel that explores the loss of people and place after the construction of the Aswan Dam and St. Lawrence Seaway.

Lyon’s novel has also been nominated for the Governor-General’s Award and the Rogers Writers' Trust Prize and the U.S. rights of her book were just sold to Knopf Doubleday in New York. O’Regan says it’s a testament to the importance of the Giller Prize.

“These awards matter, they sell books and they sell books internationally, which is so good for this country. It’s one thing for Canadians to revel in the talent that exists here, it’s even greater when we share it with the world and when they read Canadian fiction and applaud it for being as excellent as it is.”

This is the first year the Gillers have had two-non Canadians on the jury – U.S. author Russell Banks and U.K. journalist Victoria Glendinning. Canadian author Alistair Macleod rounds out the jury.

“I think it’s the natural evolution of the Giller,” says O’Regan. “I think let’s give the Man Booker a run for its money. While this celebrates the best in Canadian fiction, I think it garners more international attention when you have people of such a calibre globally who can adjudicate this fiction as well. I think it’s absolutely marvelous and I’m proud of it.”

O’Regan says even though the broadcast has become a well-oiled machine, the show is still live and anything could happen.

“I love doing live because you can’t guarantee what’s going to happen until the moment happens and that is ultimately why I love doing the show as well. I don’t occupy too much time on that stage because we have an hour for this broadcast and as much time as possible I think should be directed to the authors and their work.”

Last year’s winner Joseph Boyden will present Echlin’s “The Disappeared,” “Flashpoint’s” Hugh Dillon will present McAdam’s “Fall,” actress Rachelle Lefevre will present Michaels’ “The Winter Vault” and Paula Todd will present Lyon’s “The Golden Mean.”

Anne Michaels’ “The Winter Vault” is currently the top choice among readers, according to the Guess the Giller contest on the prize’s official website, but O’Regan is tight-lipped about what book he has his money on.

“That would be so wrong, so wrong for me to give a prediction,” he says with a laugh. “I love reading the odds and more often than not the Giller bucks them … You (just) don’t know.”
   
The Giller Prize gala will be broadcast live Tuesday night at 9 pm ET on BRAVO!  and BookTelevision and online at CTV.ca.