Carol Shields facts for kids

Carol Ann Shields was an amazing writer. She was born in America but became a Canadian citizen. She wrote many novels and short stories. Her most famous book is The Stone Diaries (1993). This book won two big awards: the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in the U.S. and the Governor General's Award in Canada.

Carol Shields' Early Life and Education

Where Carol Shields Grew Up

Carol Ann Warner was born on June 2, 1935. Her hometown was Oak Park, Illinois.

Her College Years

She went to Hanover College in Indiana. While there, she joined a sorority called Alpha Delta Pi. A special scholarship from the United Nations helped her study in England. She spent a year at the University of Exeter from 1955 to 1956. Later, she earned a Master's degree from the University of Ottawa in 1975.

Moving to Canada

In 1955, Carol met Donald Hugh Shields in Scotland. He was a Canadian engineering student. They got married in 1957 and moved to Canada. They had five children together: one son and four daughters. Carol later became a Canadian citizen.

Carol Shields' Writing Career

Starting Her Writing Journey

Carol Shields began her writing career in the 1970s. In 1973, she worked for a journal called Canadian Slavonic Papers. Her first novel, Small Ceremonies, came out in 1976. The next year, The Box Garden was published. She also taught English at the University of Ottawa. From 1978 to 1980, she taught Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia.

Writing in Winnipeg

In 1980, Carol and her husband moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba. This is where she wrote many of her most famous books. She started teaching at the University of Manitoba in 1982. She became a full professor in 1995.

Famous Books and Awards

Carol Shields published Swann in 1987. Her novel The Republic of Love came out in 1992. Then, in 1993, she released The Stone Diaries. This book was a huge success! It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1995. It also won the Governor General's Award in 1993. The Stone Diaries is the only book to win both of these major awards. It was also nominated for the Booker Prize.

More Achievements

Carol Shields wrote several collections of short stories. These include Various Miracles (1985) and The Orange Fish (1989). Her book Dressing Up for the Carnival came out in 2000. She received many other awards for her writing. In 1998, she won the Orange Prize for Fiction for her novel Larry's Party.

Later Works and Recognition

Her last novel, Unless (2002), was nominated for several big awards. These included the Giller Prize and the Booker Prize. It also won the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize. In 1996, she became the chancellor of the University of Winnipeg. Carol Shields retired in 2000 and moved to Victoria, British Columbia.

Other Writings

Carol Shields also studied the famous author Jane Austen. She wrote a biography called Jane Austen. This book won the Charles Taylor Prize in 2002. She also wrote plays, like Departures and Arrivals. Some of her plays were written with her daughters. She also published collections of poems. Carol Shields also helped edit two popular essay collections called Dropped Threads (2001) and Dropped Threads 2 (2003).

Carol Shields' Legacy

Her Passing

Carol Shields passed away on July 16, 2003. She was 68 years old and had breast cancer.

Her Stories Live On

After her death, some of her short stories were made into a TV series. It was called The Shields Stories. Her novels were also made into movies. These include Swann (1996) and The Republic of Love (2003). Her last novel, Unless, was adapted into a play in 2016.

Her Daughters' Work

Carol Shields' eldest daughter, Anne Giardini, is also a writer. Anne has written novels and edited a book of her mother's writing advice. Carol's youngest daughter, Sara Cassidy, writes many children's and young adult books. One of her books, Nevers (2019), was nominated for the Governor General's Award.

A New Award

In 2020, a new literary award was created to honor Carol Shields. It is called the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction. This award celebrates writing by Canadian and American women.

Honours and Awards

• Canadian Authors' Association Award for Small Ceremonies (1976)
• Arthur Ellis Award for Swann: A Mystery
• Nominated for the Booker Prize (The Stone Diaries and Unless)
• Governor General's Award for The Stone Diaries
• National Book Critics Circle Award for The Stone Diaries
• Pulitzer Prize for The Stone Diaries
• Orange Prize for Larry's Party
• Charles Taylor Prize for Jane Austen
• Nominated for the Giller Prize (Larry's Party and Unless)
• Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement

See also

In Spanish: Carol Shields para niños