Kim Echlin facts for kids

Kim Echlin (born in 1955) is a talented Canadian author, translator, editor, and teacher. She earned a PhD in English literature by studying the translation of the Ojibway Nanabush myths. Kim Echlin has worked for CBC Television and taught at several universities. Currently, she teaches creative writing at the University of Toronto School for Continuing Studies. Her novel, The Disappeared, was nominated for the 2009 Scotiabank Giller Prize.

Kim Echlin's Early Life and Education

Kim Echlin was born in Burlington, Ontario in 1955. When she was a student at Aldershot High School, her English teacher noticed her writing skills. She went on to study at McGill University and Paris-Sorbonne University. Later, she completed her PhD in English literature at York University. Her special research was about translating the ancient Ojibway Nanabush myths.

Kim Echlin's Career as a Writer and Teacher

Kim Echlin is known as a writer, journalist, and educator. She used to work as an arts producer for CBC Television's show The Journal. She has also taught journalism and creative writing at many Canadian universities. Today, she teaches creative writing at the University of Toronto School for Continuing Studies. She also taught at the University of Alberta Women and Words Conference in the past. From 2015 to 2016, she was the Mabel Pugh Taylor Writer-in-Residence at McMaster University and the Hamilton Public Library.

Echlin helped start the Loran Scholars Foundation. This foundation helps young leaders go to university. She is also a board member for El Hogar Projects, Canada.

Kim Echlin's Books and Stories

Kim Echlin has written several interesting novels. Her stories often explore deep feelings and important historical events.

Elephant Winter

Her first book, Elephant Winter, tells the story of a young woman. She goes back to her home in rural Ontario to care for her sick mother. Her life changes when she falls in love with a wildlife caretaker. He works at a nearby safari park. Critics called the book "enormously engaging." They also praised the writing for being full of emotion.

Dagmar's Daughter

In her second novel, Dagmar's Daughter, Echlin uses ideas from old myths. These include the Greek myths of Demeter and Persephone, and the Sumerian story of Inanna. The book is about a teenage girl who has lost her mother. She almost drowns but finds safety on a small island. Her story is mixed with the lives of three generations of women who speak Gaelic. Readers found the book powerful and intriguing.

Inanna: From the Myths of Ancient Sumer

Echlin also adapted an ancient Sumerian myth for an illustrated book. It's called Inanna: From the Myths of Ancient Sumer and was published in 2003. Inanna is an ancient goddess linked to the planet Venus. She was very important in a civilization that lived in what is now Iraq over four thousand years ago. Her stories were carved on stone tablets. They were lost for many centuries but found again by archaeologists.

Inanna is the sister of Gilgamesh. The book tells how she grows up and learns about her own strong powers. Echlin tells the warrior goddess's story like a poem. It covers her birth as the daughter of the moon god. It also tells about her love for her brother Dumuzi. The story includes her death and journey to the underworld. Finally, it describes her fight to get back her place on Earth and her power among the Sumerian gods. This book is great for young adults. It can be a fun way to learn about an old myth.

The Disappeared

Echlin's 2009 novel, The Disappeared, was nominated for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. This book explores the difficult history of the Cambodian genocide. It also looks at how these events connect to Canadian history. The story helps readers understand the impact of such challenging times.

Under the Visible Life

Under the Visible Life came out in 2015. The Globe and Mail newspaper called it "a love song to music itself." Khaled Hosseini, who wrote The Kite Runner, said the story was about motherhood and friendship. He felt the two main characters were amazing. In 2015, Echlin also published Inanna: A New English Version. This is a new translation of the Inanna myth with many notes.

Speak, Silence

Her novel Speak, Silence was published in 2021. It won the 2021 Toronto Book Award. The book tells a fictional story set against the background of the Bosnian war crimes trial. This trial took place at The Hague. The Toronto Book Award jury said Speak, Silence was "impeccably researched." They also called it "a story of tragedy and community rebuilding." They felt it kept readers hooked from start to finish. Speak, Silence was also a finalist for the 2022 Evergreen award. This award is part of the Forest of Reading program.

A review in the Literary Review of Canada said that Echlin's books are worth reading. Even though their topics can be tough, they offer a deeper understanding of events. They give readers a chance to truly listen to important stories.

List of Kim Echlin's Works

Books

• Elephant Winter (1997) ISBN: 978-0143170587
• Dagmar's Daughter (2001) ISBN: 978-0143170594
• Inanna: From the Myths of Ancient Sumer (2003) ISBN: 978-0888994967
• Elizabeth Smart: A Fugue Essay on Women and Creativity (2004) ISBN: 978-0889614420
• The Disappeared (2009) ISBN: 978-0143170457
• Under the Visible Life (2015) ISBN: 978-1781255803
• Inanna: A New English Version (2015) ISBN: 978-0143194583
• Speak, Silence (2021) ISBN: 978-0735240612

Other Writing Projects

• (Translator and editor with Nie Zhixiong) Yuan Ke, Dragons and Dynasties: An Introduction to Chinese Mythology (London: Penguin, 1991), ISBN: 978-0140586534
• (Editor) To Arrive Where You Are: Literary Journalism from the Banff Centre for the Arts (Banff, Alberta: Banff Centre Press, 1999) ISBN: 978-0920159712
• (Co-translator) Rasha Omran, Defy the Silence (Hamilton: Hamilton Arts & Letters, 2018) ISBN: 978-0993721328

Awards and Honors for Kim Echlin

Kim Echlin has received many awards and nominations for her writing:

• 2022: Nominated: Evergreen Book Award, Forest of Reading, for Speak, Silence
• 2021: 1st Prize, Toronto Book Awards for Speak, Silence
• 2011: 1st Prize: Barnes and Noble Discovery Writer for The Disappeared
• 2011: Nominated (long list): Impac Dublin Literary Award for The Disappeared
• 2009: Nominated: Scotiabank Giller Prize for The Disappeared
• 2006: 1st Prize for Creative Non-Fiction, CBC/Air Canada Literary Awards: for I, Witness (about the Cambodian genocide).
• 1997: Torgi Award, for Elephant Winter
• 1997: Nominated, Chapters/Books in Canada First Novel Award for Elephant Winter
• 1986: Nominated, National Magazine Award for Travel Writing for "Island Sacrifices"