Alexander MacLeod (writer)

Alexander MacLeod is a Canadian writer and professor of English, Creative Writing and Atlantic Canada Studies at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. His debut short story collection Light Lifting was a shortlisted nominee for the 2010 Scotiabank Giller Prize[1] and the 2011 Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award.[2][3] It won the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award in the 2011 Atlantic Book Awards.[4] In 2019, he won an O. Henry Award for his short story, "Lagomorph", which was first published in Granta.[5]

Alexander MacLeod
Born1972 (age 51–52)
Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada
OccupationWriter of short stories
Alma materUniversity of Windsor (BA)
University of Notre Dame (MFA)
McGill University (PhD)
Period2010s–present
Notable worksLight Lifting (2010)
RelativesAlistair MacLeod (father)

The son of Canadian novelist and short-story writer Alistair MacLeod[6] and of his wife, Anita MacLellan, he was born in Inverness, Nova Scotia in 1972 and raised in Windsor, Ontario, where his father taught at the University of Windsor. MacLeod completed an undergraduate degree at the University of Windsor. He earned a first graduate degree at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana in 1997[7] and later completed a PhD at McGill University in Montreal.[8]

MacLeod served as a judge for the 2015 Scotiabank Giller Prize.[9]

MacLeod is also a former national level track and field runner and competed for the University of Windsor.[10] Subsequent to his competitive running career, MacLeod captained both the 2009[11] and 2010[12] Cabot Trail Relay winning teams, the Dennis Fairall Grey Hairs.[13]

His second short story collection Animal Person was published in 2022.[14]

Awards

edit
Year Work Award Category Result Ref
2010 Light Lifting Scotiabank Giller Prize Shortlisted [15]
2011 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence Fiction Longlisted [16]
Atlantic Book Awards Margaret and John Savage First Book Award Won [17]
Commonwealth Writers' Prize First Book (Canada and the Caribbean) Shortlisted [18]
Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award Shortlisted [19][20]
Thomas Head Raddall Award Fiction Shortlisted [21]
2019 "Lagomorph" O. Henry Award Won [22]
2021 Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award Collaborative Work Won [23]

Bibliography

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  • Light Lifting (2010)
  • Animal Person (2022)

References

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  1. ^ Wagner, Vit (5 October 2010). "Dark horses dominate Giller field". Toronto Star.
  2. ^ Walsh, Caroline (9 July 2011). "Two Irish authors make awards shortlist". The Irish Times.
  3. ^ Flood, Alison (9 July 2011). "Strong showing for Irish writers on Frank O'Connor shortlist". The Guardian.
  4. ^ "Alexander MacLeod". CBC Books. 27 June 2018.
  5. ^ van Koeverden, Jane (17 May 2019). "Canadians Alexander MacLeod, Souvankham Thammavongsa & John Keeble win O. Henry Prize". CBC News.
  6. ^ "Alexander MacLeod: Small town, big honours". Vancouver Sun. 5 October 2010.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ University of Notre Dame, Commencement Exercises, 1997. https://archives.nd.edu/Commencement/1997-05-18_Commencement.pdf
  8. ^ University of Dame (2011-11-30). "Reading: Alexander MacLeod". College of Arts & Letters, University of Notre Dame. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  9. ^ Medley, Mark (14 January 2015). "The Giller Prize expands its jury to five people". The Globe and Mail.
  10. ^ "Lancer Indoor Track and Field Women's Records". Windsor Lancers. 27 January 1998.
  11. ^ "Cabot Trail Relay TEAM Results". Race Roster. 23 May 2009.
  12. ^ "Cabot Trail Relay TEAM Results". Race Roster. 29 May 2010.
  13. ^ Duff, Bob (13 March 2011). "Lancers track legacy lives on". Windsor Star.
  14. ^ "66 works of Canadian fiction to watch for in spring 2022". CBC Books. 11 January 2022.
  15. ^ Wagner, Vit (5 October 2010). "Dark horses dominate Giller field". Toronto Star.
  16. ^ "2011 Longlist". American Library Association.
  17. ^ "Alexander MacLeod". CBC Books. 27 June 2018.
  18. ^ "Commonwealth Writers' Prize Winners".
  19. ^ Walsh, Caroline (9 July 2011). "Two Irish authors make awards shortlist". The Irish Times.
  20. ^ Flood, Alison (9 July 2011). "Strong showing for Irish writers on Frank O'Connor shortlist". The Guardian.
  21. ^ "Atlantic Book Awards: Past Winners". Atlantic Book Awards.
  22. ^ van Koeverden, Jane (17 May 2019). "Canadians Alexander MacLeod, Souvankham Thammavongsa & John Keeble win O. Henry Prize". CBC News.
  23. ^ "Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award". Nova Scotia Masterworks.