- George Michael Wickens
George Michael Wickens was a distinguished Canadian-British Iranologist, translator and University lecturer.
Born in
London England , in 1918, died inToronto ,Canada in January, 2006, Wickens attendedTrinity College, Cambridge , receiving his BA in 1939 and MA in 1946. During theSecond World War he served with the Royal Army Pay Corp from 1939 to 1941 and the Intelligence Corps from 1941 to 1946, rising to the rank of captain. Following his wartime service — most of which was spent inIran — Wickens resumed academic life, teaching at theUniversity of London for three years before accepting an invitation to return to Cambridge. He taught there until 1957 when he was offered an associate professorship atUniversity of Toronto . He became a full professor in 1960 and founding chair of the Department of Islamic Studies (predecessor to today’s Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations) in 1961. [ [http://www.news.utoronto.ca/bin6/060220-2080.asp In memoriam: Professor Emeritus George Wickens, a distinguished humanities scholar] ]He was instrumental not only in the founding of an
Iranology and Islamic studies department in University of Toronto, but in establishing it within a decade as a major centre inNorth America . [ [http://www.persian-language.org/Group/Article.asp?ID=459&P=3 Iranology in Canada] ]A prolific and distinguished humanities scholar, Wickens was the author of "Avicenna: Scientist and Philosopher (1952)". Wickens was fluent in Persian and
Arabic and was one the pioneering figures of Persian literature in Canada. He translated several masterpieces ofPersian literature as "Boostan" ofSa'di into English.See also
*
Persian culture
*Iranology Notes & references
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