Alcuin Book Awards 2013 recap - Round 1

The winners of the Alcuin Society Book Awards will be honoured on October 2 in Vancouver and October 7 in Toronto, but the competition took place way back in March. The Alcuin Society members got a chance to admire the winners' work in their own catalogues, but now it is a good time to remember why we celebrate them. Before the ceremonies start, we will present some of the awarded books at random -- it's so hard to pick and choose from all the typographic and publishing goodness.

The winner in the Poetry section is Handfuls of Bone, designed by Andrew Steeves and published and printed by Gaspereau Press. Monica Kidd's poems are displayed among playful illustrations, which create one of the most striking books in the competition. The judges considered the typography in the book to be an aesthetic and functional triumph, which complements the engravings in a harmonious way. We would really like to see more poetry books breaking the usual standards and becoming works of art themselves.

Awarded with a a honourable mention in the Pictorial category, Out of the Wood presented reproductions of wood engravings created by Rosemary Kilbourn, accompanied by short notes about the creative process. The book is remarkable for its beautiful full-bleed illustrations and restrained layout. It is designed by Tim Inkster, and published and printed by Porcupine's Quill.

Afternoon Tea: A Timeless Tradition by Muriel Moffat also got a honourable mention in the Reference category. Inspired by the tea ritual at the Empress Hotel in Victoria, the book includes a history of tea and features recipes from the Tea Lobby. Wonderfully designed, the book brings a retro beauty that inspires the reader to relax in a comfortable chair with a cup of flavourful tea in hand. The book is designed by Jessica Sullivan, published by Douglas & McIntyre and printed by C&C Offset.