Author and SFU professor emeritus of English David Stouck has won this year’s City of Vancouver Book Award for Arthur Erickson: An Architect’s Life, his research-rich portrait of the local legend. City hall announced the selection on October 7.

The book, which had already pulled two awards at the 2014 B.C. Book Prizes in May, was picked from a field of contenders that included Doretta Lau’s How Does a Single Blade of Grass Thank the Sun?, Billeh Nickerson’s Artificial Cherry, Bruce Grierson’s What Makes Olga Run?, and Ashley Little’s Anatomy of a Girl Gang.

Stouck joins Amber Dawn, Michael Christie, Madeleine Thien, Wayson Choy, Denise Chong, and others who have won the annual honour since it was established 25 years ago “to recognize authors whose works demonstrate excellence and contribute to an appreciation and understanding of Vancouver’s history, unique character, or achievements of its residents”, in the words of the city’s media release.

The author will receive a cash prize of $3,000.