There were 302 entries for this year's B.C. Book Prizes, capably hosted by Bill Richardson, and for only the second time in 22 years, neither Douglas & McIntyre nor Harbour Publishing had a winning title.

The best-crafted Book Prize acceptance speeches came from John Vaillant and James Delgardo.

Vaillant picked up his third major prize of the year for The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness and Greed (Knopf), winner of the Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize. "To be associated in any way with Roderick Haig-Brown is a great honour,"; said Vaillant, "To have it recognized and received locally is the greatest honour I could receive.";