Angie Abdou
Encyclopedia
Angie Abdou is a Canadian
fiction
writer
. Her most recent novel, The Canterbury Trail, was published by Brindle & Glass Press in February 2011. Her shorter works have been published in several Canadian journals.
, where she spent her early childhood. She received a B.A. (Honours) from the University of Regina
(Saskatchewan) in 1991, an M.A. (English) from the University of Western Ontario in 1992, and an Ph.D. (English in the Field of Creative Writing and Canadian Literature) from The University of Calgary
in 2009. She currently lives in Fernie
, British Columbia, Canada and is a college professor at The College of the Rockies (Cranbrook, British Columbia). She lives with her husband, Martin Hafke, and her two children, Oliver and Katherine.
praised the collection as "an extraordinary literary debut." The book deals with contemporary heterosexual relationships and addresses topics such as infidelity and miscommunication between the sexes. In The Victoria Times Colonist, Brownen Welch claims that "Abdou confirms for us that the female frame is capable of holding within itself a multiplicity of complications and contradictions." Welch praises Abdou for finding a nonjudgemental language with which to discuss female sexuality.
Abdou's first novel, The Bone Cage, was published in 2007 by NeWest Press. The novel follows the lives of two Olympic
athletes near the end of their careers and explores the connection between body and identity. It describes elite athletics with much detail. A review in VUE Weekly
(Edmonton, Alberta) states: "Angie Abdou's debut novel, The Bone Cage, finds its to question what happens to athletes who put everything else on hold for a chance at the lurks in the shadows of elite athletics is what makes Abdou's follow up to Anything Boys Can Do, a book of short stories, so compelling". The Bone Cages themes, though, are also relevant outside the world of athletics. In Canadian Literature (journal)
a reviewer writes: "The Bone Cage extends past sport, exploring the tentative relationship between people and their bodies. Are we simply prisoners of our own "bone cage," predestined by our body, or can we overcome the limits of our body? Do we even want to overcome our body, or is it simply inseparable from ourselves? The Bone Cage's questioning of an inherent self-body dichotomy reaches out universally, involving not only sport, but also illness and death. Ultimately, because Abdou does not offer concrete answers for these questions, she shows that though the specific relationship between body and self is individualized, our struggle to reconcile them is universal." The Bone Cage was a finalist for CBC's 2011 Canada Reads
and was defended by ex-NHL player Georges Laraque
. Shortly after the 2011 Canada Reads debates, The Bone Cage was selected as The MacEwan Book of the Year for the 2011-2012 academic year. Past recipients of this honour include Margaret Atwood
, Yann Martel
, Annabel Lyon
, Thomas Wharton
, and David Adams Richards
.
Abdou's newest novel, The Canterbury Trail, originated as a dissertation project at The University of Calgary. This novel was released in February 2011 by Brindle and Glass Press (Victoria, BC). It is a finalist for the 2011 Banff Mountain Book Festival
Book of the Year Award in the Literature category.
The Bone Cage was selected by Kootenay Library Foundation as the feature book for its first annual "One Book, One Kootenay" celebration (launched September 8, 2009).
In 2010, Canadian Literature (journal)
listed The Bone Cage in its Top Ten Sport-in-Can-Lit highlights.
CBC's Book Club also voted it the number 1 sport book in July, 2010.
Abdou is an enthusiastic instructor of creative writing who teaches courses and workshops at College of the Rockies, Sage Hill Teen Writing Experience, Write in the Kootenays and The Fernie Writers' Conference. She is also an active member of the Sport Literature Association
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. Her most recent novel, The Canterbury Trail, was published by Brindle & Glass Press in February 2011. Her shorter works have been published in several Canadian journals.
Early life and education
Abdou was born in Moose Jaw, SaskatchewanMoose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Moose Jaw is a city in south-central Saskatchewan, Canada on the Moose Jaw River. It is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, west of Regina. Residents of Moose Jaw are known as Moose Javians. It is best known as a retirement and tourist city that serves as a hub to the hundreds of small towns...
, where she spent her early childhood. She received a B.A. (Honours) from the University of Regina
University of Regina
The University of Regina is a public research university located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Founded in 1911 as a private denominational high school of the Methodist Church of Canada, it began an association with the University of Saskatchewan as a junior college in 1925, and was disaffiliated...
(Saskatchewan) in 1991, an M.A. (English) from the University of Western Ontario in 1992, and an Ph.D. (English in the Field of Creative Writing and Canadian Literature) from The University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
in 2009. She currently lives in Fernie
Fernie, British Columbia
Fernie is a city in the Elk Valley area of the East Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located on BC Highway 3 on the eastern approaches to the Crowsnest Pass through the Rocky Mountains...
, British Columbia, Canada and is a college professor at The College of the Rockies (Cranbrook, British Columbia). She lives with her husband, Martin Hafke, and her two children, Oliver and Katherine.
Career and awards
Abdou's first collection of fiction, Anything Boys Can Do, was published in 2006 by Thistledown Press. B.C. BookWorldB.C. BookWorld
B.C. BookWorld is a British Columbia-based quarterly newspaper about the book trade. It was established in 1987.Founded by Alan Twigg in 1987, B.C. BookWorld is Canada’s largest-circulation, independent publication about books.-Mission:B.C...
praised the collection as "an extraordinary literary debut." The book deals with contemporary heterosexual relationships and addresses topics such as infidelity and miscommunication between the sexes. In The Victoria Times Colonist, Brownen Welch claims that "Abdou confirms for us that the female frame is capable of holding within itself a multiplicity of complications and contradictions." Welch praises Abdou for finding a nonjudgemental language with which to discuss female sexuality.
Abdou's first novel, The Bone Cage, was published in 2007 by NeWest Press. The novel follows the lives of two Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
athletes near the end of their careers and explores the connection between body and identity. It describes elite athletics with much detail. A review in VUE Weekly
Vue Weekly
Vue Weekly is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and with new issues coming out every Thursday.Vue was founded in 1995 by former employees and owners of SEE Magazine, upset over losing control of SEE to creditors...
(Edmonton, Alberta) states: "Angie Abdou's debut novel, The Bone Cage, finds its to question what happens to athletes who put everything else on hold for a chance at the lurks in the shadows of elite athletics is what makes Abdou's follow up to Anything Boys Can Do, a book of short stories, so compelling". The Bone Cages themes, though, are also relevant outside the world of athletics. In Canadian Literature (journal)
Canadian Literature (journal)
Canadian Literature is a quarterly of criticism and review published out of the University of British Columbia.Canadian Literature was founded in 1959 by George Woodcock, who produced 73 issues before retiring in 1977. After Woodcock's retirement, the University of British Columbia invited William...
a reviewer writes: "The Bone Cage extends past sport, exploring the tentative relationship between people and their bodies. Are we simply prisoners of our own "bone cage," predestined by our body, or can we overcome the limits of our body? Do we even want to overcome our body, or is it simply inseparable from ourselves? The Bone Cage's questioning of an inherent self-body dichotomy reaches out universally, involving not only sport, but also illness and death. Ultimately, because Abdou does not offer concrete answers for these questions, she shows that though the specific relationship between body and self is individualized, our struggle to reconcile them is universal." The Bone Cage was a finalist for CBC's 2011 Canada Reads
Canada Reads
Canada Reads is an annual "battle of the books" competition organized and broadcast by Canada's public broadcaster, the CBC.-Overview:During Canada Reads, five personalities champion five different books, each champion extolling the merits of one of the titles. The debate is broadcast over a series...
and was defended by ex-NHL player Georges Laraque
Georges Laraque
Georges Laraque is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward, who last played with the Montreal Canadiens before his contract was bought out in 2010. He is also a host for CFRN and deputy leader of the Green Party of Canada. During his NHL career he played for the Edmonton Oilers,...
. Shortly after the 2011 Canada Reads debates, The Bone Cage was selected as The MacEwan Book of the Year for the 2011-2012 academic year. Past recipients of this honour include Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Eleanor Atwood, is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and environmental activist. She is among the most-honoured authors of fiction in recent history; she is a winner of the Arthur C...
, Yann Martel
Yann Martel
Yann Martel is a Canadian author best known for the Man Booker Prize-winning novel Life of Pi.-Early life:Martel was born in Salamanca, Spain where his father was posted as a diplomat for the Canadian government. He was raised in Costa Rica, France, Mexico, and Canada...
, Annabel Lyon
Annabel Lyon
Annabel Lyon is a Canadian novelist and short story writer. She's published two collections of short fiction, two young adult novels, and an adult historical novel, The Golden Mean.-Life and work:...
, Thomas Wharton
Thomas Wharton
-Life:Born in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Wharton attended the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. He was a student of Rudy Wiebe and Greg Hollingshead. His first novel began as his M.A. thesis, under the supervision of Kristjana Gunnars. He worked on his PhD at Calgary with Aritha...
, and David Adams Richards
David Adams Richards
David Adams Richards, CM, ONB is a Canadian novelist, essayist, screenwriter and poet.Born in Newcastle, New Brunswick, Richards left St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick, three credits shy of completing a B.A.. Richards has been a writer-in-residence at various universities and...
.
Abdou's newest novel, The Canterbury Trail, originated as a dissertation project at The University of Calgary. This novel was released in February 2011 by Brindle and Glass Press (Victoria, BC). It is a finalist for the 2011 Banff Mountain Book Festival
Banff Mountain Book Festival
The Banff Mountain Book Festival is an annual book festival held at the Banff Centre in Banff, Canada.The following prizes are awarded:*Grand Prize of Canada*Best Book — Mountain Literature*Best Book — Mountain Image*Best Book — Adventure Travel...
Book of the Year Award in the Literature category.
The Bone Cage was selected by Kootenay Library Foundation as the feature book for its first annual "One Book, One Kootenay" celebration (launched September 8, 2009).
In 2010, Canadian Literature (journal)
Canadian Literature (journal)
Canadian Literature is a quarterly of criticism and review published out of the University of British Columbia.Canadian Literature was founded in 1959 by George Woodcock, who produced 73 issues before retiring in 1977. After Woodcock's retirement, the University of British Columbia invited William...
listed The Bone Cage in its Top Ten Sport-in-Can-Lit highlights.
CBC's Book Club also voted it the number 1 sport book in July, 2010.
Abdou is an enthusiastic instructor of creative writing who teaches courses and workshops at College of the Rockies, Sage Hill Teen Writing Experience, Write in the Kootenays and The Fernie Writers' Conference. She is also an active member of the Sport Literature Association
Sport Literature Association
The Sport Literature Association , headquartered at East Tennessee State University, is an international organization devoted to the study of sport in literature and culture. With a membership numbering several hundred scholars, students, and readers from around the world, SLA sponsors an annual...
.
External links
- Angie Abdou's Website
- Angie Abdou on Twitter
- Abdou in the Writers' Union of Canada
- Abdou in BC BookWorld
- Sask Publishers' Review of Anything Boys Can Do
- The Quest for the Gold, article on Abdou in Prairie Books Now
- Search for Embodiment in The Bone Cage, review in Canadian Literature
- The Bone Cage -- the Perfect Companion to the Olympics, Review in Journal of Sport Literature