Priscila Uppal

Priscila Uppal was a Canadian poet, novelist, and playwright whose work explored complex human dynamics through themes of violence, sexuality, and cultural identity. She gained recognition for her literary contributions, which often examined closed societies, revisionist mythmaking, and the psychological dimensions of grief. Her multifaceted writing spanned poetry, fiction, and drama, reflecting her academic background as a professor of Humanities and English at York University.

Uppal's creative and scholarly pursuits frequently converged, resulting in works that interrogated multicultural tensions, infertility, and the artistic process itself. Her writing delved into the aesthetics of sport, the dangers of unchecked imagination, and the rituals of mourning - both personal and collective. As a member of the Toronto Arts Council Board of Directors, she remained deeply engaged with the intersection of art and community. Her legacy endures through her thought-provoking explorations of human vulnerability and resilience.
Standalone Novels
# Title Year
1 The Divine Economy of Salvation 2002
2 To Whom It May Concern 2009
Short Stories/Novellas
# Title Year
1 The Man Who Loved Cats 2015
2 Blind Spot 2017
3 Vertigo 2017
Collections
# Title Year
1 Confessions of a Fertility Expert 1999
2 Pretending to Die 2001
3 Live Coverage 2003
4 Ontological Necessities 2006
5 Traumatology 2010
6 Successful Tragedies 2010
7 Winter Sport 2010
8 Summer Sport 2013
9 Cover Before Striking 2015
10 Sabotage 2015
11 On Second Thought 2018
Poetry
# Title Year
1 How to Draw Blood from a Stone 1998
Plays
# Title Year
1 6 Essential Questions 2015
Non-Fiction Books
# Title Year
1 We Are What We Mourn 2008
2 Projection 2013
Priscila Uppal Anthologies
# Title Year
1 Red Silk: An Anthology Of South Asian Canadian Women Poets 2004
2 White Ink: Poems on Mothers and Motherhood 2007
3 The Exile Book of Canadian Sports Stories 2009
4 The Exile Book of Poetry in Translation: 20 Canadian Poets Take On the World 2009
5 Other Tongues: Mixed-Race Women Speak Out 2010
6 Another Dysfunctional Cancer Poem Anthology 2018