Donald L. Coles (April 12, 1927 – November 29, 2017) was a Canadian poet and novelist.[1] He won the 1993 Governor General's Award for English poetry for his collection Forests of the Medieval World and the Trillium Book Award in 2000 for his collection Kurgan.[2]
He was born on April 12, 1927, in Woodstock, Ontario. He attended the University of Toronto and received a B.A in modern History in 1949, and an M.A in English Literature in 1952. He then attended the University of Cambridge, where he eventually earned a second M.A in Canadian Literature.[3] Coles' writing began to take off after he received a British Council grant, which allowed him a year in Italy.[4] Coles spent the following ten to twelve years traveling around Europe and lived in London, Stockholm, Florence, Munich, Copenhagen, Hamburg, and Zurich. Coles had struggled with writing and while in Europe he wrote two unpublished novels. "I was bad at characterization, I was bad at dialogue, I was bad at plot…" he told the National Post.[5]
After he returned home in 1965 he joined the faculty of York University, where he worked for 30 years. He taught humanities, and was the director of the creative writing program. Furthermore, he was the senior editor at the Banff Centre for the Arts from 1984 to 1994. Coles was influenced by many British writers during the time he was living in Europe. These early influences were Thomas Hardy, Philip Larkin, Donald Hall, John Berryman and Margaret Atwood, with whom he worked at York University.[4]
Coles first began writing poetry around 1966, and soon published his first collection, Sometimes All Over, in 1975 with Macmillan. Coles' first novel, Doctor Bloom's Story was not published until 2004. His other poetry collections, seven of which were published in Canada and one published in England, included Anniversaries (1979); The Prinzhorn Collection (1982); Landslides: selected poems, 1975-1985 (1986); K. in Love (1987); Little Bird (1991); Forests of the Medieval World (1993); Someone Has Stayed in Stockholm (1994, published in England); and For the Living and the Dead (1996, a translation from the Swedish). Coles died on November 29, 2017, at the age of ninety.[6]
^ ab. Archived from the original on 2007-04-29. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
^O'Reilly, Finbarr (10 May 2001). "Finding success at a mug's game: 'I feel more comfortable saying that I write poetry, rather than that I am a poet,' says Don Coles". National Post. p. B16. ProQuest 329832985.
^Books In Print, The Porcupine's Quill July 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
^. Archived from the original on 2011-02-06. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
External linksedit
Don Coles archives at the Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections, York University
January 01, 1970
coles, donald, coles, april, 1927, november, 2017, canadian, poet, novelist, 1993, governor, general, award, english, poetry, collection, forests, medieval, world, trillium, book, award, 2000, collection, kurgan, born, april, 1927, woodstock, ontario, attended. Donald L Coles April 12 1927 November 29 2017 was a Canadian poet and novelist 1 He won the 1993 Governor General s Award for English poetry for his collection Forests of the Medieval World and the Trillium Book Award in 2000 for his collection Kurgan 2 He was born on April 12 1927 in Woodstock Ontario He attended the University of Toronto and received a B A in modern History in 1949 and an M A in English Literature in 1952 He then attended the University of Cambridge where he eventually earned a second M A in Canadian Literature 3 Coles writing began to take off after he received a British Council grant which allowed him a year in Italy 4 Coles spent the following ten to twelve years traveling around Europe and lived in London Stockholm Florence Munich Copenhagen Hamburg and Zurich Coles had struggled with writing and while in Europe he wrote two unpublished novels I was bad at characterization I was bad at dialogue I was bad at plot he told the National Post 5 After he returned home in 1965 he joined the faculty of York University where he worked for 30 years He taught humanities and was the director of the creative writing program Furthermore he was the senior editor at the Banff Centre for the Arts from 1984 to 1994 Coles was influenced by many British writers during the time he was living in Europe These early influences were Thomas Hardy Philip Larkin Donald Hall John Berryman and Margaret Atwood with whom he worked at York University 4 Coles first began writing poetry around 1966 and soon published his first collection Sometimes All Over in 1975 with Macmillan Coles first novel Doctor Bloom s Story was not published until 2004 His other poetry collections seven of which were published in Canada and one published in England included Anniversaries 1979 The Prinzhorn Collection 1982 Landslides selected poems 1975 1985 1986 K in Love 1987 Little Bird 1991 Forests of the Medieval World 1993 Someone Has Stayed in Stockholm 1994 published in England and For the Living and the Dead 1996 a translation from the Swedish Coles died on November 29 2017 at the age of ninety 6 Contents 1 Works 1 1 Publications 2 References 3 External linksWorks editPublications edit Sometimes All Over Macmillan of Canada 1975 Poetry collection Anniversaries Macmillan of Canada 1979 Poetry collection The Prinzhorn Collection Macmillan of Canada 1982 Poetry collection Landslides McClelland amp Stewart 1986 Poetry new and selected K in Love Signal Editions 1987 Poetry linked Little Bird Signal Editions 1991 Poetry Forests Of the Medieval World The Porcupine s Quill Inc 1993 Poetry collection Someone Has Stayed In Stockholm Arc Publications UK 1994 Poetry new and selected For the Living and the Dead Buschekbooks Ottawa 1996 Kurgan Porcupine s Quill Erin Ontario Canada 2000 Doctor Bloom s story Toronto A A Knopf Canada 2004 1st ed Novel How We All Swiftly Signal Editions 2005 The first six books A dropped glove in Regent Street Signal Editions 2007 The essential Don Coles Porcupine s Quill 2009 7 Where We Might Have Been Signal Editions 2010 A Serious Call Porcupine s Quill 2015References edit Don Coles Archived 2011 06 07 at the Wayback Machine The Canadian Encyclopedia Don Coles 90 a revered poet who wrote mind expanding verse The Globe and Mail December 15 2017 FRANK D ZINGRONE 1 Archived 2011 06 07 at the Wayback Machine Coles Donald L a b DON COLES INTERVIEWS Canadian Poetry Online Archived from the original on 2007 04 29 Retrieved 2010 11 04 O Reilly Finbarr 10 May 2001 Finding success at a mug s game I feel more comfortable saying that I write poetry rather than that I am a poet says Don Coles National Post p B16 ProQuest 329832985 Books In Print The Porcupine s Quill Archived July 6 2011 at the Wayback Machine DON COLES PUBLICATIONS Canadian Poetry Online Archived from the original on 2011 02 06 Retrieved 2010 11 04 External links editDon Coles archives at the Clara Thomas Archives amp Special Collections York University Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Don Coles amp oldid 1187588400, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
