Miriam Toews is a highly acclaimed Canadian author, known for her powerful and thought-provoking standalone novels. She was born in Steinbach, Manitoba, and is of Mennonite descent. Toews has lived in various places, including Montreal and London, before settling in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She has a rich educational background, having studied at the University of Manitoba and the University of King's College in Halifax. In addition to her writing career, Toews has worked as a freelance newspaper and radio journalist.
One of Toews' most notable works is "A Complicated Kindness," a 2004 novel that spent over a year on Canadian bestseller lists and won the Governor General's Award for English Fiction. This book, about a teenage girl longing to escape her small Russian Mennonite town, was also a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the winning title in the 2006 edition of Canada Reads. Toews has also written a memoir, "Swing Low: A Life," which is a tribute to her father, a victim of lifelong depression.
In addition to her written work, Toews has also acted in a movie. She played a significant role in the Carlos Reygadas film "Silent Light," which won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Festival in 2007. This experience influenced her fifth novel, "Irma Voth." Toews' other notable novels include "Fight Night," "Women Talking," "All My Puny Sorrows," and "The Flying Troutmans." She has received numerous literary awards for her work, including the Findley Award and the Governor General's Award. Toews is also a three-time finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize.