(left: scarce McClelland & Stewart, 1991 cassettes cover: “Hull Rivetting” by Frederick B. Taylor (Canadian War Museum, Canadian Museum of Civilization, Natural Museums of Canada; right: book & CD 2000 Vintage Canada/Random House)
(rare signed poster, Vintage Canada, 1993, in my study)
(Philip) Michael Ondaatje (1943-) was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He arrived in Canada in 1967 and attended Queen’s before starting out as a poet (Rat Jelly, 1973) and won the Governor General Award for poetry in 1970 for his experimental Collected Works of Billy the Kid. He won more GG awards for There’s a Trick with a Knife I’m Learning to Do (poetry), and for the novels The English Patient (1992), Anil’s Ghost (2007), and Divisadero (2007). He is currently tied with Hugh MacLennan for winning 5 Governor General Awards. His English Patient book became an acclaimed movie winning 9 Academy Awards. In 1970, Ondaatje also wrote the first critical study book of Leonard Cohen’s early work.