The Worlds of Michael Ondaatje (Pre-order)

David Staines’s The Worlds of Michael Ondaatje introduces a wide-ranging exploration of the life and work of one of today’s most original literary figures.

Opening with Ondaatje’s Golden Man Booker Prize win for The English Patient, the book traces the author’s remarkable life—from his Sri Lankan childhood and English schooling to his creative awakening in Canada—and his evolution as poet, novelist, filmmaker, and editor.

Twenty-two distinguished scholars and writers examine the breadth of his career, offering fresh insights into his poetry, fiction, memoir, and editorial work. The essays illuminate the formative influence of Sri Lanka, the daring experimentation of his early poetry, the imaginative range of his seven novels, and his lasting impact on Canadian and world literature.

Including Anthony Minghella’s previously unpublished reflections on adapting The English Patient, this volume celebrates Ondaatje’s restless artistry and his singular contribution to contemporary letters.