Biography on Michael Ondaatje
Michael Ondaatje was born in Ceylon, Sri Lanka in 1943. At the age of eleven he moved to England with his parents and studied at Dulwich College. Then at the age of 19, he decided to still pursue his education. He moved to Canada in 1962 and studied at three different universities: Bishop's University, University of Toronto and Queen's University and no sooner he became a citizen. He graduated with his Master of Arts and decided to share his knowledge with students and therefore became a university lecturer at (Tendon College, York University in Toronto where he taught for many years. Today Michael Ondaatje lives with his wife, Linda Spalding in Toronto and both edit their own literary journal, Brick.
Ondaatje is best known as a novelist but his work also encompasses memoirs, poetry, and movies as well. Among his published poems and collections are 'The Man
With Seven Toes' (1969), 'The Dainty Monsters''(1967), 'Rat Jelly' (1973) 'The
Collected Works of Billy the Kid' (1970) plus over ten more collections. The latter collection mentioned, 'The Collected Works of Billy the Kid' (1970) is described to be 'a factual and fictional account of the notorious outlaw' by the Online Encyclopedia Britannica and has even won a Governor General's Award, as did a later book of his poems, 'There's a Trick with a Knife I'm Learning to Do' (1979) and 'Running in the Family'(1982). When it comes to film, 'The English Patient’ an Academy Award-winning film, and 'Sons of Captain Poetry' are just a few successful attempts to make Ondaatje's cinematic quality works to the big screen.
To date, Michael Ondaatje also has four books of fiction published: ' The
English Patient' which also won the Booker Prize in 1992 / 'In the Skin of the Lion'
(1987), 'Coming Through Slaughter' (1976) and the latest one, 'Anil's Ghost'. Many have praised his work. The Oxford Anthology of Canadian Literature says 'He can freeze a moment in time, as in a snapshot, or describe a series of movements and arresting small details with such economy and clarity that they are projected on the mind like a scene in a film.' This four time Governor General Award winner is a literary phenomenon. His work is filled with a stunning fusion of rhyme and rhythm and his language is absolutely profound. More praise for this best-selling writer is as below:
· "Writing poetry and fiction, momentarily clutching his Asian heritage then spinning it off like a jitterbug partner, Ondaatje and his imagination can leap continents in a single paragraph." -Voice Literary Supplement.
• "Michael Ondaatje defies the normal distinction between poet and novelist. His writing is consistently tuned to a visionary pitch." -Graham Swift.
• "Michael Ondaatje enchants, beguiles, and reveals with language that radiates lapidarian lustre." - Rohinton Mistry.