Sandra Martin Wins the 2017 BC National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Jan. 26, 2017) - British Columbia Achievement Foundation Chair, Scott McIntyre, is pleased to announce that Sandra Martin has won the 2017 British Columbia National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction for "A Good Death: Making the Most of Our Final Choices".

Martin was presented with the $40,000 prize by Hon. Peter Fassbender, BC's Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development at a ceremony that also celebrated finalists Taras Grescoe for Shanghai Grand: Forbidden Love and International Intrigue on the Eve of the Second World War; Robert Moor for On Trails: An Exploration; and, Alexandra Shimo for Invisible North: The Search for Answers on a Troubled Reserve.

Now in its 13th year, British Columbia's National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction is one of Canada's major national book prizes and the only one to originate in BC. The annual award is presented by the British Columbia Achievement Foundation, an independent foundation established by the Province in 2003 to celebrate excellence in the arts, humanities, enterprise, and community service.

"On behalf of the BC Achievement Foundation, I applaud this year's finalists for inspiring us all with their extraordinary books," said McIntyre. "They join an impressive group of 52 writers recognized for excellence by the BC National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction since the program's inception in 2005. Congratulations to Sandra Martin and to all the finalists."

The 2017 jury panel members were Hal Wake, artistic director of the Vancouver Writers Fest; John Burns, editorial director of Echo Storytelling Agency in Vancouver; and Jan Walter, editor, publishing executive and book seller.

The jury cited:

"Sandra Martin's A Good Death will make an enormous contribution to our ongoing, often contentious public debate on the issue. Her careful and thorough research provides historical context, legislative precedents, the effect of medical technology and philosophical and religious insights. What truly distinguishes this book is the reportage on individuals and families who have fought to arrange for a better death, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. These firsthand experiences are the beating heart of a timely and powerful examination."

Background information about British Columbia's National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction is available at www.bcachievement.com/nonfiction. Detailed information about the awards and a list of past winners is posted on the foundation's website at www.bcachievement.com. The event can be followed on Twitter @bcachievement and #bcnationalaward.