“Reading [her work] is like being wrapped in silk” – that is how member Marcia C. described the poetic novels of author Esi Edugyan.

In her March 22, 2022 presentation, Marcia highlighted the life and work of Esi Edugyan. She is the author of 3 novels, many short stories and several non-fiction works. Ms. Edugyan was born and raised in Calgary and now lives on Vancouver Island with her family. Her husband, author Steven Price will be the subject of member Janet S.’s presentation on April 19, 2022.

Esi Edugyan cites authors Toni Morrison, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky as early literary influences. While club members who have met Ms. Edugyan describe her manner as gentle, Marcia feels there is a sense of foreboding in some of her writing that may reflect her love of the great Russian novelists.

The Second Life of Samuel Tyne, set in 1960’s Alberta was released when Edugyan was just 26. The central character of the novel is loosely based on her father. In 2011, her second novel Half Blood Blues was released. The novel won a first Scotiabank Giller Prize for the author. Her most recent novel, Washington Black, was also awarded the Giller Prize in 2018.

In addition to her successful novels, a book of essays on race and storytelling, Out of the Sun received praise in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/07/books/review/esi-edugyan-out-of-the-sun-on-race-and-storytelling.html?searchResultPosition=2.

Shawna M.

Next week, the work of J.K. Rowling will be presented. Interested in joining us? Click here: https://calgarywomensliteraryclub.com/join-us/