June 2, 2025 – The Writers' Federation of New Brunswick (WFNB) added an annual legacy award to its roster of categories this past weekend during the tenth annual New Brunswick Book Awards in Fredericton.
The recipient of the inaugural NB Legacy Award is David Adams Richards. His sister, the Honourable Judge Mary Jane Richards attended the event to receive the award on his behalf. Mr. Richards was unable to attend as he was accepting an honorary doctorate from McGill University.
“We are pleased and honoured to present our first legacy award to David Adams Richards,” says Rosalyn Hyslop, co-owner of Mrs. Dunster’s Bakery, the sponsor of the award. “This legacy award is intended to honour individuals whose lifelong dedication have left a lasting impact on the writing community in New Brunswick, and we think Mr. Richards has definitely made such an impact.”
The acclaimed novelist, essayist, non-fiction writer, poet, and screenwriter, is generally considered to be New Brunswick’s leading writer of English-language fiction of his generation. Born in Newcastle, he is one of only three writers to have won in both the fiction and non-fiction categories of the Governor General’s Literary Award. He was a co-winner of the 2000 Giller Prize for his novel Mercy Among the Children and has received numerous other prestigious awards, including the Canada-Australia Literary Prize, two Gemini Awards for scriptwriting, the Alden Nowlan Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Canadian Authors Association Award and the 2011 Matt Cohen Award for a distinguished lifetime of contribution to Canadian literature. In 2007, he was awarded the regional Commonwealth Writers’ Prize award for his novel, The Friends of Meager Fortune.
The NB legacy award recognizes those whose vision, leadership, and commitment have significantly enhanced the landscape of the written word—whether by crafting compelling narratives, expanding access to stories, nurturing emerging voices, or fostering spaces where words can thrive. “Through his sustained efforts, Mr. Richards has inspired generations of NB writers, and helped shape a more connected, vibrant, and enduring community of storytellers and story seekers,” Ms. Hyslop said. “He graciously served as guest speaker for the NB Book Awards in 2017, and every year, he continues to sponsor the WFNB David Adams Richards Prize for Fiction Manuscript in the annual NB Writing Competition.”
The awards ceremony was held on May 31 in Fredericton. This free, public event was hosted by Vanessa Vander Valk, host of CBC radio’s Shift, with reception entertainment provided by singer/songwriter Catherine Kennedy. The guest speaker for the evening was Ali Hassan, comedian and host of CBC’s Canada Reads and CBC’s Laugh out Loud.
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