2025 Hill Canadian Author

Emma’s debut novel (a Giller Prize finalist and New York Times and #1 Canadian bestseller) explores a mystery surrounding an extraordinary British family, offering compelling portraits of womanhood, motherhood and female friendship. We are delighted to welcome Emma back to BSS for a fireside chat and writing workshop with senior students on Thursday, January 22. She will be joined in conversation by fellow alumna Monica AINLEY de la Villardière ’06, a Canadian fashion journalist and broadcaster based in Paris.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Hill Canadian Author Fund, which has brought Canada’s most acclaimed literary voices to BSS since 1986. Through this enduring support, students have explored the best of Canadian literature, engaging with ideas that inform and inspire. We are deeply grateful to the Hill family for their generosity in sustaining this exceptional opportunity.

1986 - Janette Turner Hospital

1987 - Timothy Findley

1988 - Miriam Waddington

1989 - Michael Ondaatje

1990 - Hugh Hood

1991 - Neil Bissoondath

1992 - Nino Ricci, Marian Fowler

1993 - Judith Thompson

1994 - Jack Batten

1995 - Jane Urquhart

1996 - Paul Quarrington

1997 - Wayson Choy

1998 - Mordecai Richler

1999 - Ann-Marie MacDonald

2000 - Jan Wong

2001 - Catherine Gildiner

2002 - Ken Wiwa

2003 - Wayne Johnston

2004 - Kerri Sakamoto

2005 - Thomas King

2006 - Miriam Toews

2007 - Camilla Gibb

2008 - Daniel MacIvor

2009 - Hannah Moscovitch

2010 - Marina Endicott

2011 - Claudia Dey

2012 - Irshad Manji

2013 - Joseph Boyden

2014 - Vincent Lam

2015 - Claire Battershill
2016 - Kim Thúy
2017 - Emily KASSIE ’10, Julia LEDERER ’02, Kate HEWLETT ’95, Noor JAVED ’00

2018 - Ayelet Tsabari

2019 - Carrianne Leung and Catherine Hernandez

2021 - Souvankham Thammavongsa
2022 - Alicia Elliott

2023 - Michelle Good

2024 - Nita Prose
2025 - Emma KNIGHT ’06