Martha Baillie
Encyclopedia
Martha Baillie is a Canadian
poet and novelist.
Baillie was born in Toronto
, Ontario
and educated at the prestigious Toronto French School
. She studied history, French and Russian at the University of Edinburgh
, and completed her studies at the Sorbonne
, Paris
and the University of Toronto
. It was there that she became involved in theatre. In 1981, after an extended trip through Asia, she decided to shift her focus from acting to writing. After her return - and a brief interlude as a French immersion and ESL teacher - she took up a part-time position at the Toronto Public Library
where she is currently employed. Her writing has been published in Canada, Germany and Hungary.
Her most popular novel to date is The Shape I Gave You (2006), listed as a national bestseller by Macleans magazine in May 2006.
In The Incident Report (2009), Baillie uses the format of 144 short reports
to recount incidents from her own experiences as a librarian. As a work of fiction the novel contains conventional elements such as "a love story and a mystery"; as a report, it presents a subtext depicting "how Toronto libraries have become a refuge for the city's marginalized".The Incident Report was long listed for the 2009 Scotiabank Giller Prize
.
Besides four novels, Baillie has had poems published in journals including Descant, Prairie Fire
and The Antigonish Review. Other literary work includes a treatment on The Legacy of Joseph Wagenbach , an installation environment by Iris Häussler
, first published in Brick in 2007.
The author lives in Toronto
.
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...
poet and novelist.
Baillie was born in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and educated at the prestigious Toronto French School
Toronto French School
The Toronto French School , founded in 1962 , is an independent, bilingual, co-educational, non-denominational school in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada, is the royal patron of the school....
. She studied history, French and Russian at the University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and completed her studies at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. It was there that she became involved in theatre. In 1981, after an extended trip through Asia, she decided to shift her focus from acting to writing. After her return - and a brief interlude as a French immersion and ESL teacher - she took up a part-time position at the Toronto Public Library
Toronto Public Library
Toronto Public Library is a public library system based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest public library system in Canada and in 2008, had averaged a higher...
where she is currently employed. Her writing has been published in Canada, Germany and Hungary.
Her most popular novel to date is The Shape I Gave You (2006), listed as a national bestseller by Macleans magazine in May 2006.
In The Incident Report (2009), Baillie uses the format of 144 short reports
Incident report
In a health care facility, such as a hospital, nursing home, or assisted living, an incident report or accident report is a form that is filled out in order to record details of an unusual event that occurs at the facility, such as an injury to a patient...
to recount incidents from her own experiences as a librarian. As a work of fiction the novel contains conventional elements such as "a love story and a mystery"; as a report, it presents a subtext depicting "how Toronto libraries have become a refuge for the city's marginalized".The Incident Report was long listed for the 2009 Scotiabank Giller Prize
Scotiabank Giller Prize
The Scotiabank Giller Prize, or Giller Prize, is a literary award given to a Canadian author of a novel or short story collection published in English the previous year, after an annual juried competition between publishers who submit entries...
.
Besides four novels, Baillie has had poems published in journals including Descant, Prairie Fire
Prairie Fire (magazine)
Prairie Fire is a Canadian literary magazine. Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the magazine publishes as a quarterly. Prairie Fire magazine was created in hopes to expand Canadians' knowledge and awareness of literary work rather than focusing on mainstream writings of our generation. Included in the...
and The Antigonish Review. Other literary work includes a treatment on The Legacy of Joseph Wagenbach , an installation environment by Iris Häussler
Iris Häussler
Iris Häussler is a conceptual- and installation art artist of German origin. She lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Many of Iris Häussler's works are detailed, hyperrealistic installations that visitors can decode as narrative stories...
, first published in Brick in 2007.
The author lives in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
External links
- Martha Baillie's Website (includes book excerpts and other writing)
- My Sister, Esther, accessed 28. March 2009
- Madame Balashovskaya's Apartment, accessed 28. March 2009
- The Shape I gave You, accessed 28. March 2009
- The Incident Report, accessed 28. March 2009