Sarah Binks
Encyclopedia
Sarah Binks is the novel
by University of Manitoba
professor Paul Hiebert
.
The novel is a fake biography
of "Sarah Binks", the "Sweet Songstress of Saskatchewan
". It satirizes literary pretensions — both of the critic and of the poet — by presenting a poet and critic (the author) whose productions are awash with misreadings and sentimental clap-trap.
Peter Gzowski
made Professor Hiebert a frequent guest on his CBC Radio
program Morningside
and Hiebert thereby became well-known across Canada
.
Now considered a Canadian classic, Sarah Binks has never been out of print since its original publication in 1947.
Although Hiebert's gentle brand of humour is recognizable to some in Canada, it is not uncommon for Americans to believe Sarah Binks to have been a real person and to excoriate her translations of Heinrich Heine
.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
professor Paul Hiebert
Paul Hiebert
Paul Gerhardt Hiebert was a Canadian writer and humorist best known for his book Sarah Binks , which was awarded the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour in 1948. A sequel, Willows Revisited was published in 1967....
.
The novel is a fake biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
of "Sarah Binks", the "Sweet Songstress of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
". It satirizes literary pretensions — both of the critic and of the poet — by presenting a poet and critic (the author) whose productions are awash with misreadings and sentimental clap-trap.
Peter Gzowski
Peter Gzowski
Peter Gzowski, was a Canadian broadcaster, writer and reporter, most famous for his work on the CBC radio show Morningside. His first biographer argued that Gzowski's contribution to Canadian media must be considered in the context of efforts by a generation of Canadian nationalists to understand...
made Professor Hiebert a frequent guest on his CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
program Morningside
Morningside (radio program)
Morningside was a nationally broadcast Canadian radio program, which aired on CBC Radio from September 20, 1976 to May 30, 1997. It was broadcast from 9AM to 12 Noon, Monday to Friday...
and Hiebert thereby became well-known across Canada
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...
.
Now considered a Canadian classic, Sarah Binks has never been out of print since its original publication in 1947.
Although Hiebert's gentle brand of humour is recognizable to some in Canada, it is not uncommon for Americans to believe Sarah Binks to have been a real person and to excoriate her translations of Heinrich Heine
Heinrich Heine
Christian Johann Heinrich Heine was one of the most significant German poets of the 19th century. He was also a journalist, essayist, and literary critic. He is best known outside Germany for his early lyric poetry, which was set to music in the form of Lieder by composers such as Robert Schumann...
.
Awards and recognition
- Sarah Binks won the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for HumourStephen Leacock Memorial Medal for HumourThe Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour is an annual literary award presented to the best work of humorous literature in English by a Canadian writer. The award is a tribute to well-known Canadian humorist Stephen Leacock , and is accompanied by a cash prize of $15,000...
in 1948. - Sarah Binks was selected for the 2003 edition of CBC RadioCBC RadioCBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
's Canada ReadsCanada ReadsCanada 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...
competition, where it was championed by authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
Will FergusonWill FergusonWilliam Stener "Will" Ferguson is a Canadian writer and novelist best known for his humorous observations on Canadian history and culture....
.