Anthony Phelps facts for kids
Anthony Phelps (born August 25, 1928 – died March 11, 2025) was a talented writer from Haiti and Canada. He wrote many books, and one of his novels, La contrainte de l’inachevé, was even nominated for a big award called the Governor General's Literary Award in 2007. This award is one of the most important literary prizes in Canada.
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Early Life and Moving to Canada
Anthony Phelps was born in Port-au-Prince, the capital city of Haiti. When he was younger, he went to Seton Hall University to study chemistry. But his passion was writing.
Starting a Writing Group
Phelps loved to write and wanted to share this passion with others. He helped start a special writing group called "Haiti Littéraire." He also helped create a literary magazine called Semences. This group and magazine were important for writers in Haiti.
Life in Exile
In 1964, Anthony Phelps had to leave Haiti. This was because he was against the government at the time, which was a very strict and controlling "dictatorial regime" led by François Duvalier. Being forced to leave your home country is called going into "exile."
Phelps moved to Montreal, Quebec, in Canada. Even though he was far from home, he kept writing. He also worked in television and theatre, showing his many talents.
Anthony Phelps's Books and Awards
Anthony Phelps wrote many different kinds of books. He wrote poetry, novels, and even stories for children.
Poetry Collections
He published several collections of poems, including:
- Été (1960)
- Éclats de silence (1962)
- Points cardinaux (1966)
- Mon pays que voici followed by Les dits du Fouaux-cailloux (1968)
- Motifs pour le temps saisonnier (1976)
- La bélière caraïbe (1980)
- Même le soleil est nu (1983)
- Orchidée nègre (1985)
Novels and Children's Stories
Phelps also wrote novels, which are longer stories. Some of his novels include:
- Moins l'infini (1973)
- Mémoire en colin-maillard (1976)
- Haïti! Haïti! (1985), which he wrote with Gary Klang
He even wrote a collection of stories especially for children called Et moi, je suis une île (1973). He also wrote a play for the stage called Le conditionnel (1968).
Winning Prizes
Anthony Phelps won important awards for his writing.
- In 1985, he won the Casa de las Américas Prize for his poetry collection Orchidée nègre.
- In 2016, he received the Prix Carbet de la Caraïbe et du Tout-Monde. This award recognized all the amazing work he had done throughout his career.
Anthony Phelps passed away on March 11, 2025, at the age of 96. He left behind a wonderful collection of stories and poems that continue to inspire readers.
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