Acclaimed journalist, author, and broadcaster Ian Brown has been appointed Rogers Communications Chair for The Banff Centre’s Literary Journalism program. A staff writer for The Globe and Mail and author of the recently published work of personal nonfiction, The Boy in the Moon, Brown takes on directorship of a program that has been led, over its 20 years, by writers including Robert Fulford, Michael Ignatieff, Alberto Manguel, Rosemary Sullivan, and Marni Jackson.
“Ian Brown is a master communicator in many journalistic and literary forms,” says Steven Ross Smith, director of Literary Arts at The Banff Centre. “I’m delighted to welcome him to our Literary Journalism program. He brings his considerable contribution to Canadian culture and a notable national and international reputation to The Banff Centre. His extensive experience will enrich the program and the participating writers.”
Beginning his writing career at the Financial Post in 1976, Ian Brown has worked extensively as an editor, freelance journalist, non-fiction author, and expert practitioner of the long-form personal essay. His work, particularly in his book Man Overboard, and his contribution to the anthology What I Meant to Say, often touches on the theme of what Robert Fulford called “what is it like to be a man in this era?” He is the winner of multiple National Newspaper Awards and National Magazine Awards, and is the past host of Sunday Morning and Talking Books on CBC Radio One. His most recent book, subtitled A Father’s Search for his Disabled Son, expands on a wrenchingly honest series he published in The Globe and Mail about life with his son Walker, who was born with a rare genetic disorder.
Literary Journalism at The Banff Centre is a unique program that brings eight accomplished nonfiction writers to Banff every summer for intensive workshops and mentorship. Writers each bring a project of long-form journalism, which is refined and polished with input from guest writers, and faculty editors. Since its inception in 1989, Literary Journalism (formerly called Creative Non-Fiction and Cultural Journalism) has mentored work by a who’s who of Canadian non-fiction, including Mark Abley, David Hayes, Rebecca Solnit, Taras Grescoe, Charlotte Gill, Myrna Kostash, and Philip Marchand.
This fall, The Banff Centre Press and Thomas Allen Publishers launch Cabin Fever, the latest collection of essays from the Literary Journalism program, to honour the program’s 20th anniversary.
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- For information about Literary Arts at The Banff Centre:
http://www.banffcentre.ca/writing/
