Kim Echlin (born 1955) is a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
novelist, translator, editor and teacher. She has a PhD in English literature for a thesis about the translation of the
Ojibway
The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains.
According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...
Nanabush myths. Echlin has worked for
CBC Television
CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French- ...
and several universities. She currently works as a creative writing instructor at the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institu ...
School for Continuing Studies. Her 2009 novel, ''The Disappeared'', featured on the shortlist for the 2009
Scotiabank Giller Prize
The Giller Prize (sponsored as the Scotiabank Giller Prize), is a literary award given to a Canadian author of a novel or short story collection published in English (including translation) the previous year, after an annual juried competition ...
.
Early life and education
Kim Echlin was born in
Burlington
Burlington may refer to:
Places Canada Geography
* Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador
* Burlington, Nova Scotia
* Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington"
* Burlington, Prince Edward Island
* Burlington Bay, ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
in 1955. While attending
Aldershot High School, Echlin's writing was noticed by her English teacher. She studied at
McGill University
McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...
and
Paris-Sorbonne University
Paris-Sorbonne University (also known as Paris IV; french: Université Paris-Sorbonne, Paris IV) was a public research university in Paris, France, active from 1971 to 2017. It was the main inheritor of the Faculty of Humanities of the Universit ...
, before completing a PhD in English literature at
York University
York University (french: Université York), also known as YorkU or simply YU, is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's fourth-largest university, and it has approximately 55,700 students, 7,000 faculty and staf ...
, writing a thesis about the translation of the
Ojibway
The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains.
According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...
Nanabush myths.
Career
Echlin is a writer, journalist and educator. She has worked as an arts producer for
CBC Television
CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French- ...
's ''The Journal'' and has taught journalism and creative writing at a number of Canadian universities.
[ She is currently a creative writing instructor at ]University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institu ...
School for Continuing Studies, and previously taught at the University of Alberta
The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Ruth ...
Women and Words Conference. She was the Mabel Pugh Taylor Writer-in-Residence at McMaster University
McMaster University (McMaster or Mac) is a public research university in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main McMaster campus is on of land near the residential neighbourhoods of Ainslie Wood and Westdale, adjacent to the Royal Botanical ...
and the Hamilton Public Library in 2015–16.
Echlin is a founding trustee of the Loran Scholars Foundation. She is a board member of El Hogar Projects, Canada.
Writing
''Elephant Winter'', the story of a young woman who returns to her rural Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
home to tend to her dying mother and finds her life altered due to a romantic relationship with a wildlife caretaker at a neighboring safari park. The book was described as "enormously engaging" by Maureen Garvie in ''Quill & Quire
''Quill & Quire'' is a Canadian magazine about the book and publishing industry. The magazine was launched in 1935 and has an average circulation of 5,000 copies per issue, with a publisher-claimed readership of 25,000. ''Quill & Quire'' reviews ...
''. Frank Moher further observed in a ''Saturday Night Saturday Night may refer to:
Film, television and theatre Film
* ''Saturday Night'' (1922 film), a 1922 film directed by Cecil B. DeMille
* ''Saturday Nights'' (film), a 1933 Swedish film directed by Schamyl Bauman
* ''Saturday Night'' (1950 fil ...
'' review of the novel that Sophie's growing empathy is reflected by "prose that is as extravagant in feeling as it is in expression". Kirkus Reviews described the book as a "sometimes emotionally scattered debut" but praised it for its "intriguing lore".
Echlin draws on the ancient myths of Demeter and Persephone
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Persephone ( ; gr, Περσεφόνη, Persephónē), also called Kore or Cora ( ; gr, Κόρη, Kórē, the maiden), is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She became the queen of the underworld afte ...
, as well as on the story of Inanna
Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, divine justice, and political power. She was originally worshiped in Su ...
, in her second novel, ''Dagmar's Daughter'', in which a motherless teen is almost drowned before finding safety on a small island. The woman's story is interwoven with those of three generations of gifted Gaelic-speaking women into a novel that, although difficult, "rewards the effort", according to '' Canadian Woman Studies'' reviewer Clara Thomas. Noting that the novel's plot moves at a brisk pace, Elaine Jones added in ''Resource Links'' that ''Dagmar's Daughter'' relates "a powerful and intriguing story".
Echlin has adapted the ancient Sumerian myth of Inanna
Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, divine justice, and political power. She was originally worshiped in Su ...
for an illustrated book, ''Inanna: From the Myths of Ancient Sumer'', published in 2003. Associated with the planet Venus, Inanna is an ancient goddess that figured prominently in the civilization that existed in the location of modern-day Iraq over four thousand years ago. Although lost for centuries, her stories, carved on stone tablets, were recently recovered by archeologists. Sister to Gilgamesh
sux, , label=none
, image = Hero lion Dur-Sharrukin Louvre AO19862.jpg
, alt =
, caption = Possible representation of Gilgamesh as Master of Animals, grasping a lion in his left arm and snake in his right hand, in an Assy ...
, Inanna grows to maturity and through her determination, wisdom, and ambition she learns the extent of her own destructive and creative powers. In ''Inanna'' Echlin relates the warrior goddess's story in poetic form, from her birth as the daughter of the moon god
A lunar deity or moon deity is a deity who represents the Moon, or an aspect of it. These deities can have a variety of functions and traditions depending upon the culture, but they are often related. Lunar deities and Moon worship can be foun ...
to her growing desire for her handsome shepherd brother Dumuzi, her death and descent into the underworld, and her fight to regain her place on Earth as well as her power within the pantheon of Sumerian gods. Noting that the book, which is illustrated by European artist Linda Wolfsgruber, would be most valuable to young-adult readers, Patricia D. Lothrop wrote in ''School Library Journal
''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with ...
'' that Inanna "could be an enticing introduction to a little-known figure from ancient Near East myth". In crafting her book-length story, Echlin positions traditional stories about the goddess "in chronological order, following Inanna's development from an eager, ambitious goddess to the position of the all-powerful queen whose 'light shines through everything,'" according to ''Resource Links'' contributor Joan Marshall. Marshall dubbed the book a "fascinating tale of a young goddess who knows how to get the power she wants".
Echlin's 2009 novel, ''The Disappeared'' was shortlisted for the 2009 Scotiabank Giller Prize
The Giller Prize (sponsored as the Scotiabank Giller Prize), is a literary award given to a Canadian author of a novel or short story collection published in English (including translation) the previous year, after an annual juried competition ...
. ''The Disappeared'' deals with Cambodian genocide
The Cambodian genocide ( km, របបប្រល័យពូជសាសន៍នៅកម្ពុជា) was the systematic persecution and killing of Cambodians by the Khmer Rouge under the leadership of Communist Party of Kampuchea gener ...
and its connection to Canadian history.
''Under the Visible Life'' was published in 2015. In 2015, Echlin also published ''Inanna: A New English Version'', a new translation of the Inanna myth with extensive linguistic and cultural notes.
''Speak, Silence'' was published in 2021 and won the 2021 Toronto Book Award. Weaving a fiction story against the Bosnian war crimes trial at the Hague, the Toronto Book Award jury described ''Speak, Silence'' as 'impeccably researched' and as 'a story of tragedy and community rebuilding that hooks the reader from the beginning to the last page.' ''Speak, Silence'' is also among ten finalists for the 2022 Evergreen award, run by Forest of Reading
The Forest of Reading is Canada's largest recreational reading program, featuring ten award programs and run by the Ontario Library Association (OLA). Programs are primarily geared towards French and English readers in kindergarten to grade twelv ...
In Katherine Ashenburg's extensive review of Echlin's fiction work in the Literary Review of Canada
The ''Literary Review of Canada'' is a Canadian magazine that publishes ten times a year in print and online. The magazine features essays and reviews of books on political, cultural, social, and literary topics, as well as original Canadian poe ...
she wrote "Echlin’s books, difficult as their subjects can be, are much more than worth the pain. Beyond their considerable literary merit and pleasure, they offer a richer, deeper, truer entrée than non-fiction can provide into happenings we would often prefer to ignore. They give us a peerless chance to listen."
List of works
Books
* ''Elephant Winter'' (1997)
* ''Dagmar's Daughter'' (2001)
* ''Inanna: From the Myths of Ancient Sumer'' (2003)
* ''Elizabeth Smart: A Fugue Essay on Women and Creativity'' (2004)
* ''The Disappeared'' (2009)
* ''Under the Visible Life'' (2015)
* ''Inanna: A New English Version'' (2015)
* ''Speak, Silence'' (2021)
Other writing
*(Translator and editor with Nie Zhixiong) Yuan Ke, ''Dragons and Dynasties: An Introduction to Chinese Mythology'' (London: Penguin, 1991),
*(Editor) ''To Arrive Where You Are: Literary Journalism from the Banff Centre for the Arts'' (Banff, Alberta: Banff Centre Press, 1999)
*(Co-translator) Rasha Omran,
Defy the Silence
' (Hamilton: Hamilton Arts & Letters, 2018)
Awards and honors
*2022: Nominated: Evergreen Book Award, Forest of Reading
The Forest of Reading is Canada's largest recreational reading program, featuring ten award programs and run by the Ontario Library Association (OLA). Programs are primarily geared towards French and English readers in kindergarten to grade twelv ...
, for ''Speak, Silence''
*2021: 1st Prize, Toronto Book Awards The Toronto Book Awards are Canadian literary awards, presented annually by the City of Toronto government
The municipal government of Toronto ( incorporated as the City of Toronto) is the local government responsible for administering the city ...
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: Giller for ''The Disappeared''
*2006: 1st Prize for Creative Non-Fiction, CBC/Air Canada Literary Awards: for ''I, Witness'' (on the Cambodian genocide
The Cambodian genocide ( km, របបប្រល័យពូជសាសន៍នៅកម្ពុជា) was the systematic persecution and killing of Cambodians by the Khmer Rouge under the leadership of Communist Party of Kampuchea gener ...
).
*1997: Torgi Award, for ''Elephant Winter''
*1997: Nominated, Chapters/Books in Canada First Novel Award for ''Elephant Winter''
*1986: Nominated, National Magazine Award
The National Magazine Awards, also known as the Ellie Awards, honor print and digital publications that consistently demonstrate superior execution of editorial objectives, innovative techniques, noteworthy enterprise and imaginative design. Or ...
for Travel Writing for "Island Sacrifices"
References
External links
Official website
* "My Country is The World" issue of HA&L magazine, guest-edited by Kim Echli
* Material collected by Kim Echli
(Kimberly Echlin Collection of Elizabeth Smart Letters, Scrip, and Photographs, R12501)
are held at Library and Archives Canada
Library and Archives Canada (LAC; french: Bibliothèque et Archives Canada) is the federal institution, tasked with acquiring, preserving, and providing accessibility to the documentary heritage of Canada. The national archive and library is t ...
. The collection consists of materials gathered by Kim Echlin while she conducted research for her biography of Elizabeth Smart, including publicity photographs of Smart; a radio script from a BBC production; and letters.
* To break the silence: an interview with Kim Echlin https://www.raintaxi.com/to-break-the-silence-an-interview-with-kim-echlin/
{{DEFAULTSORT:Echlin, Kim
1955 births
Living people
Canadian children's writers
Canadian women novelists
Canadian women children's writers
People from Burlington, Ontario
Writers from Ontario
21st-century Canadian novelists
21st-century Canadian women writers
McGill University alumni