Michael Ondaatje
| Michael Ondaatje | |
|---|---|
Ondaatje speaking at Tulane University, 2010
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| Born | Philip Michael Ondaatje 12 September 1943 Colombo, Ceylon |
| Occupation | Author |
| Language | English |
| Alma mater |
University of Toronto Queen's University Bishop's University |
| Notable works | |
| Notable awards |
Governor General's Award - Poetry Booker Prize Giller Prize Prix Médicis étranger Order of Canada St. Louis Literary Award |
| Spouse | Linda Spalding |
Philip Michael Ondaatje, CC FRSL (/ɒnˈdɑːtʃiː/; born 12 September 1943), is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian poet, novelist, editor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of multiple literary awards such as the Governor General's Award, the Giller Prize, the Booker Prize, and the Prix Médicis étranger. Ondaatje is also an Officer of the Order of Canada, recognizing him as one of Canada's most renowned living authors, along with others like Margaret Atwood.
Ondaatje's literary career began with his poetry in 1967, publishing the books The Dainty Monsters, and then in 1970 the critically acclaimed The Collected Works of Billy the Kid. However, he is more recently recognized for his nationally and internationally successful novel The English Patient (1992), which was adapted into a film in 1996.
In addition to his literary writing, Ondaatje has been an important force in "fostering new Canadian writing" with two decades commitment to Coach House Press (around 1970-90), and his editorial credits on Canadian literary projects like the journal Brick, and the Long Poem Anthology (1979), among others.
Ondaatje was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, then called Ceylon, in 1943; and is of Dutch, Sinhalese, and Tamil ancestry. His parents separated when he was just an infant, subsequently living with relatives until 1954 when he joined his mother in England. While in England, Ondaatje pursued secondary education at Dulwich College, but shortly after immigrated to Montreal, Quebec in 1962. After relocating to Canada, Ondaatje studied at Bishop's University in Lennoxville, Quebec for three years. However, in his final year he went on to the University of Toronto where he received a Bachelor of Arts in 1965. In 1967, he received a Master of Arts from Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario.
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