This year marks the twelfth iteration of the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing, presented by the Writers’ Trust of Canada. The prize rewards the year's finest book tackling a political subject of interest to Canadian readers.
This year, Open Book speaks to each of the five finalists. Check out all the interviews in our archives before tomorrow's announcement of the 2012 winner!
Our final interview is with Andrew Nikiforuk, the author of Empire of the Beetle: How Human Folly and a Tiny Bug are Killing North America's Great Forests (Greystone Books). In addition to the Shaughnessy Cohen Award, Empire of the Beetle was also short-listed for the Governor General's Literary Award, the Alberta Book Award and several other prizes.
Andrew talks with Open Book about how good political writing is like a fairy tale, his favourite past prize winner and his upcoming project.
![Antanas Sileika and Trevor Cole. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]](http://members.openbooktoronto.com/sites/default/files/obt/galleries/Antanas Sileika, Trevor Cole_sml.jpg "Antanas Sileika and Trevor Cole. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]")
![Chris Kelly, Vince Borg, Julie Osborne, Jan Innes. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]](http://members.openbooktoronto.com/sites/default/files/obt/galleries/Chris Kelly, Vince Borg, Julie Osborne, Jan Innes_sml.jpg "Chris Kelly, Vince Borg, Julie Osborne, Jan Innes. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]")
![Michael Redhill, Trevor Cole, Gillian Deacon, Alex Pugsley. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]](http://members.openbooktoronto.com/sites/default/files/obt/galleries/Michael Redhill, Trevor Cole, Gillian Deacon, Alex Pugsley_sml.jpg "Michael Redhill, Trevor Cole, Gillian Deacon, Alex Pugsley. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]")
![Patsy Aldana presents Matt Cohen Award. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]](http://members.openbooktoronto.com/sites/default/files/obt/galleries/Patsy Aldana presents Matt Cohen Award_sml.jpg "Patsy Aldana presents Matt Cohen Award. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]")
![Sarah Maclachlan, Alix Ohlin, Stephen Rodrick, Gillian Fizet, Madeleine Thien. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]](http://members.openbooktoronto.com/sites/default/files/obt/galleries/Sarah Maclachlan, Alix Ohlin, Stephen Rodrick, Gillian Fizet, Madeleine Thien_sml.jpg "Sarah Maclachlan, Alix Ohlin, Stephen Rodrick, Gillian Fizet, Madeleine Thien. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]")
![Tamas Dobozy accepts Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]](http://members.openbooktoronto.com/sites/default/files/obt/galleries/Tamas Dobozy accepts Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize_sml.jpg "Tamas Dobozy accepts Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]")
![Writers' Trust chair Peter Kahnert, Shelagh Rogers, Nino Ricci. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]](http://members.openbooktoronto.com/sites/default/files/obt/galleries/Writers' Trust chair Peter Kahnert, Shelagh Rogers, Nino Ricci_sml.jpg "Writers' Trust chair Peter Kahnert, Shelagh Rogers, Nino Ricci. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]")
![Catherine Whiteside, Janice Zawerbny, Tamas Dobozy, Marcy Dobozy. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]](http://members.openbooktoronto.com/sites/default/files/obt/galleries/Catherine Whiteside, Janice Zawerbny, Tamas Dobozy, Marcy Dobozy_sml.jpg "Catherine Whiteside, Janice Zawerbny, Tamas Dobozy, Marcy Dobozy. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]")
![Kirsten Hanson presents Vicky Metcalf Award to Paul Yee. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]](http://members.openbooktoronto.com/sites/default/files/obt/galleries/Kirsten Hanson presents Vicky Metcalf Award to Paul Yee_sml.jpg "Kirsten Hanson presents Vicky Metcalf Award to Paul Yee. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]")
![Nino Ricci, Shelley Ambrose, Doug Knight, Shelagh Rogers. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]](http://members.openbooktoronto.com/sites/default/files/obt/galleries/Nino Ricci, Shelley Ambrose, Doug Knight, Shelagh Rogers_sml.jpg "Nino Ricci, Shelley Ambrose, Doug Knight, Shelagh Rogers. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]")
![Rawi Hage, Cate Cochran, Madeleine Thien. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]](http://members.openbooktoronto.com/sites/default/files/obt/galleries/Rawi Hage, Cate Cochran, Madeleine Thien_sml.jpg "Rawi Hage, Cate Cochran, Madeleine Thien. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]")
![Shelagh Rogers hosts the 12th annual Writers' Trust Awards. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]](http://members.openbooktoronto.com/sites/default/files/obt/galleries/Shelagh Rogers hosts the 12th annual Writers' Trust Awards_sml.jpg "Shelagh Rogers hosts the 12th annual Writers' Trust Awards. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]")
![Tim Bowling, Marcy and Tamas Dobozy. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]](http://members.openbooktoronto.com/sites/default/files/obt/galleries/Tim Bowling, Marcy and Tamas Dobozy_sml.jpg "Tim Bowling, Marcy and Tamas Dobozy. [Photo Credit: Kendall Townsend]")
