Sarah Binks

Sarah Binks is the novel by University of Manitoba professor Paul Hiebert.

The novel is a fake biography of "Sarah Binks", the "Sweet Songstress of Saskatchewan". It satirizes literary pretensions — both of the critic and of the poet — by presenting a poet and critic (the author) whose productions are awash with misreadings and sentimental clap-trap.

Peter Gzowski made Professor Hiebert a frequent guest on his CBC Radio program Morningside and Hiebert thereby became well-known across Canada.

Now considered a Canadian classic, Sarah Binks has never been out of print since its original publication in 1947.

Although Hiebert's gentle brand of humour is recognizable to some in Canada, it is not uncommon for Americans to believe Sarah Binks to have been a real person and to excoriate her translations of Heinrich Heine.

Awards and recognition

• Sarah Binks won the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour in 1948.
• Sarah Binks was selected for the 2003 edition of CBC Radio's Canada Reads competition, where it was championed by author Will Ferguson.

External links

• The Geo-Literary School of Poetry
• Sarah Binks' Translations of Heine