Miriam Mandel Explained

Birth Name:Miriam Minovitch
Birth Date:24 June 1930
Birth Place:Rockglen, Saskatchewan
Death Place:Edmonton, Alberta
Language:English
Citizenship: Canadian
Education:B.A.
Alma Mater:University of Saskatchewan
Spouse:Eli Mandel
Children:Evie, Charles
Awards:Governor General's Award

Miriam Mandel (June 24, 1930  - February 13, 1982) was a Canadian poet who won Canada's Governor General's Award.

Early life

Miriam Mandel was born in Rockglen, Saskatchewan. She gained her B.A. from the University of Saskatchewan in 1950. In 1949 she married Eli Mandel, and after her graduation the couple moved to Toronto where he worked on a Ph.D. at the University of Toronto. After he received his doctorate in 1957, they moved to Edmonton, where he taught at the University of Alberta until 1967.[1] The couple had two children.[2] In 1967 the couple divorced and Eli Mandel remarried.[1]

Career

Shortly after their marriage broke up, Miriam Mandel began writing poetry.[3] She won the Governor General's Award in 1973 for her first collection, Lions At Her Face.[4] She later published two more collections of poetry.[5]

Miriam Mandel was a long-time sufferer from depression.[3] Patrick Lane was inspired by her to write his 1983 poem "And of the Measure of Winter We Are Sure".[6]

Miriam Mandel died in Edmonton by suicide.[3] [7]

Novelist Sheila Watson edited Miriam Mandel's Collected Poems in 1984.[3] [8] The Miriam Mandel fonds is at the University of Calgary.[4]

Bibliography

Poetry

Non-fiction

Except where noted, bibliographic information courtesy University of Saskatchewan.[11]

References

  1. "Mandel, Eli," Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan, URegina.ca, Web, Apr. 25, 2011.
  2. "Elias (Eli) Wolf Mandel Biography," Estevan, Saskatchewan, Gent-Family.com, Web, Apr. 25, 2011.
  3. Marlene Alt, "Mandel, Miriam," Canadian Encyclopedia (Edmonton: Hurtig, 1988), 1290.
  4. "Mandel, Miriam, 1930-1982," Special Collections, University of Calgary Library, UCalgary.ca, Web, Apr, 24, 2011.
  5. Book: Frank Davey. When Tish Happens: The Unlikely Story of Canada's Most Influential Literary Magazine. April 2011. ECW Press. 978-1-55490-944-5. 380.
  6. Questions and Answers, "And of the Measure of Winter We Are Sure," CanLit Poets, Canadian Literature,
  7. Book: Lola Lemire Tostevin. Subject to Criticism. 1995. Mercury Press. 978-1-55128-025-7. 20–23.
  8. Book: George Melnyk. The Literary History of Alberta: From the end of the war to the end of the century. registration. 1998. University of Alberta. 978-0-88864-324-7. 74, 240.
  9. "Bibliography of Works by Sheila Watson," English-Canadian Writers, AthabascaU.ca, Web, Apr. 22, 2011.
  10. "The Miriam Mandel Papers," University of Calgary Press," Web, Apr. 25, 2011.
  11. "Books by former English Department Students," USask.ca, Web, Apr. 25, 2011.

External links