Jane Urquhart

Jane Urquhart is an acclaimed Canadian author known for her lyrical prose and richly detailed historical fiction. She has published seven internationally celebrated novels, including "The Whirlpool," which received the French Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger (Best Foreign Book Award), and "Away," winner of the Trillium Book Award and a finalist for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Her novel "The Underpainter" earned the Governor General's Award for English-language fiction, while "The Stone Carvers" was shortlisted for both the Giller Prize and the Governor General's Award, in addition to being longlisted for the Booker Prize. Her body of work also includes the short story collection "Storm Glass" and four poetry volumes, such as "I Am Walking in the Garden of His Imaginary Palace" and "The Little Flowers of Madame de Montespan."

Urquhart's writing often explores themes of memory, landscape, and the intersection of personal and historical narratives. Her contributions to literature have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the Marian Engel Award, Calgary's Bob Edwards Award, and France's Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 2005, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. Beyond her fiction, she edited "The Penguin Book of Canadian Short Stories" in 2007 and authored a biography of Lucy Maud Montgomery as part of Penguin’s "Extraordinary Canadians" series in 2009. Urquhart has served as writer-in-residence at several Canadian universities and has lectured internationally. She divides her time between Ontario, Canada, and Ireland.