William Patrick Kinsella
- Born:
- May 25, 1935, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Died:
- September 16, 2016, Hope, British Columbia, Canada
- Nationality:
- Canadian
- Profession(s):
- Author, Novelist, Short Story Writer, Poet
Early Life and Education
- Attended the University of Victoria, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1978.
- Studied creative writing at the University of Iowa's Writers' Workshop.
- Held various jobs before becoming a full-time writer.
Career and Major Achievements
- Published numerous short story collections and novels, primarily focused on magical realism and baseball.
- Achieved critical acclaim and popular success with his novel, Shoeless Joe.
- Awarded the Houghton Mifflin Literary Fellowship in 1977.
- Won the Books in Canada First Novel Award for Shoeless Joe in 1982.
Notable Works
Novels
- Shoeless Joe (1982)
- The Iowa Baseball Confederacy (1986)
- Box Socials (1991)
- Magic Time (1998)
Short Story Collections
- Dance Me Outside (1977)
- Born Indian (1981)
- The Alligator Report (1985)
- Red Wolf, Red Wolf (1987)
Legacy and Impact
W. P. Kinsella's work significantly influenced contemporary Canadian literature, particularly his blending of magical realism with sports themes. Shoeless Joe, adapted into the film Field of Dreams, cemented his place in popular culture. The influence and impact of the biography of w p kinsella evelyn lau remains significant, as their lives, and respective creative outputs are studied and referenced.
Evelyn Lau
- Born:
- July 2, 1971, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Nationality:
- Canadian
- Profession(s):
- Poet, Novelist, Essayist
Early Life and Education
- Ran away from home at the age of fourteen and lived on the streets of Vancouver.
- Documented her experiences in a diary that formed the basis of her first published work.
Career and Major Achievements
- Gained national attention with the publication of her teenage diaries, Runaway: Diary of a Street Kid.
- Published several acclaimed books of poetry, novels, and essays.
- Received the Milton Acorn People's Poetry Award in 1989.
- Shortlisted for the Governor General's Award for Poetry.
Notable Works
Poetry Collections
- You Are Not Who You Claim (2020)
- Oedipal Dreams (2016)
- A Grain of Rice (2012)
Novels
- Other Women (1995)
- Sing Fat and the Dragon's Gate (2000)
Memoirs
- Runaway: Diary of a Street Kid (1989)
Legacy and Impact
Evelyn Lau is recognized for her unflinching and often autobiographical explorations of themes such as adolescence, alienation, and the complexities of human relationships. Her work has contributed significantly to Canadian literature, particularly in its depiction of marginalized experiences.