Marian Engel

Christl Verduyn (Mount Allison University)
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Marian Engel was a key figure on the Canadian writing scene from the mid-1960s until her early death in 1985. She served as the first chair of the Writers’ Union of Canada, established in 1973, and, as a trustee for the Toronto Public Library from 1973 to 1976, she played a crucial role in the creation of Public Lending Rights for writers. She enjoyed friendships with many of Canada’s prominent writers, including Margaret Laurence, Margaret Atwood, and Timothy Findley. Despite a foreshortened career, Marian Engel published seven novels, two collections of short stories, two books for children, a nonfiction work on islands, and numerous articles and essays. She became best known after her fifth novel, Bear, won the 1976 …

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Citation: Verduyn, Christl. "Marian Engel". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 13 May 2008 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=1428, accessed 29 March 2024.]

1428 Marian Engel 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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