Fred Wah

Frederick James Wah (born January 23, 1939) is a Canadian poet, novelist, and scholar.

Wah was born in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, but raised in the interior (West Kootenay) of British Columbia. His father was a Canadian-born but raised in China, who was born to a Chinese father [cite book|title=Power and Identity in the Chinese World Order|author=Jilang Su, Billy K. L. So, Gungwu Wang, John Fitzgerald, Jianli Huang, James K. Chin, Contributors Billy K. L. So, John Fitzgerald|origyear=2003|pages=323|publisher=Hong Kong University Press|isbn=9622095909] and an English mother, while his mother a Swedish-born Canadian who came to Canada at age 6 [cite book|title=Poets Talk|author=Pauline Butling, Susan Rudy
origyear=2005|pages=143|publisher=University of Alberta|isbn=0888644310] . His diverse ethnic makeup figures significantly in his writings.

Wah studied literature and music at the University of British Columbia. While there, he was a founding editor and contributor to "TISH". He later did graduate work at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and University at Buffalo, The State University of New York. He has taught at Selkirk College, David Thompson University Centre, and the University of Calgary. Well known for his work on literary journals and small-press, Wah has been a contributing editor to "Open Letter" since its beginning, involved in the editing of "West Coast Line", and with Frank Davey edited the world's first online literary magazine, "SwiftCurrent".

Wah retired after 40 years of teaching and lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with his wife Pauline Butling. He remains active writing and performing public readings of his poetry. In 2006-07, he was the Writer-in-Residence at Simon Fraser University, in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Education

* Bachelor of Arts - English Literature and Music - University of British Columbia
* Master of Arts - Literature and Linguistics - University at Buffalo, The State University of New York

Bibliography

* "Lardeau" (1965)
* "Mountain" (1967)
* "Among" (1972)
* "Tree" (1972)
* "Earth" (1974)
* "Pictograms from the Interior of B.C." (1975)
* "Loki is Buried at Smoky Creek: Selected Poetry" (1980)
* "Owners Manual" (1981)
* "Breathin' My Name With a Sigh" (1981)
* "Grasp The Sparrow's Tail" (1982)
* "Waiting for Saskatchewan" (1985)
* "The Swift Current Anthology" (1986; edited with Frank Davey)
* "Rooftops" (1987)
* "Music at the Heart of Thinking" (1987)
* "Limestone Lakes Utaniki" (1989)
* "So Far" (1991)
* "Alley Alley Home Free" (1992)
* "Diamond Grill" (1996)

Awards

* "Waiting For Saskatchewan" - 1985 (1985 Governor General's Award for poetry)
* "So Far" - 1991 (1982 Stephanson Award for Poetry)
* "Diamond Grill" - 1996 (Writers Guild of Alberta Howard O'Hagan Prize for Short Fiction)

External links

* [http://www.library.utoronto.ca/canpoetry/wah/ University of Toronto Canadian Poets Profile]
* [http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/faculties/HUM/ENGL/canada/poet/f_wah.htm University of Calgary's 100 Canadian Poets Profile]
* [http://www.ryerson.ca/library/events/asian_heritage/wah.html Ryerson University Asian Heritage in Canada Authors]
* [http://www.ffwdweekly.com/Issues/2003/0522/book1.htm FFWD:WEEKLY: "Tough-Minded poet Fred Wah leaves legacy at U of C"]
* [http://www.writersunion.ca/ww_profile.asp?mem=454&L=W&N=Fred Wah Writers' Union Membership Page]