‘Fire Weather’ among books shortlisted for Shaughnessy Cohen Prize

TORONTO — John Vaillant’s bestselling book about the Fort McMurray wildfire is shortlisted for the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing.

“Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast” is one of five non-fiction books in the running for the $25,000 award, which is administered by the Writers’ Trust of Canada.

It previously won the prestigious U.K.-based Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction.

The other finalists for the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize include “Not Here: Why American Democracy Is Eroding and How Canada Can Protect Itself” by Rob Goodman and “Indictment: The Criminal Justice System on Trial” by Benjamin Perrin.