Peter Michael Ondaatje (b.1943) is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian novelist, poet, and editor known for his lyrical storytelling and fusion of history, myth, and memoir. His works explore identity, displacement, and human resilience, earning numerous literary awards.
Born in Colombo, he moved to England in 1954 and immigrated to Canada in 1962. He studied at the University of Toronto (B.A., 1965) and Queen’s University (M.A., 1967) before teaching English literature.
His first poetry collection, The Dainty Monsters (1967,) was followed by The Collected Works of Billy the Kid (1970,) which won the Governor General’s Award. His novels include Coming Through Slaughter (1976,) In the Skin of a Lion (1987,) The English Patient (1992,) which won the Booker Prize, Anil’s Ghost (2000,) Divisadero (2007,) The Cat’s Table (2011,) and Warlight (2018.) Ondaatje also edited literary journals and anthologies, shaping Canadian literature.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Michael Ondaatje
The first sentence of every novel should be: “Trust me, this will take time but there is order here, very faint, very human.” Meander if you want to get to town.
—Michael Ondaatje
Topics: Fiction, Authors & Writing
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