Norman Levine
Norman Levine was a Canadian poet and novelist born to Jewish immigrants from Poland in Ottawa, Canada. His early life as an Orthodox Jew in a French-Canadian community left him feeling like an outsider. At twenty, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, serving in a squadron in Yorkshire, England, before returning to Canada to pursue higher education at McGill University, where he earned a master's degree in 1949. Levine's literary career began in 1948 with the publication of his first poetry collection, *Myssium*, followed by his debut novel, *The Angled Road*, inspired by his military experiences. He gained notable attention for his controversial nonfiction work, *Canada Made Me*, published in England in 1958, which presented a critical view of Canada, depicting it as provincial and impoverished. This book faced resistance in Canada, not being published there until 1979. Throughout his life, Levine continued to write and was honored with the Writer's Trust of Canada Matt Cohen Award for Lifetime Achievement before his death in 2005. His works reflect his complex relationship with identity, culture, and the landscapes of Canada and beyond.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Norman Levine
Fiction Writer and Poet
- Born: October 22, 1924
- Birthplace: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Died: June 14, 2005
- Place of death: Darlington, England
Biography
Norman Levine, a twentieth century poet and novelist, was born in Canada. He was the son of Jewish immigrants from Poland who had settled in Ottawa, Canada. Levine’s father worked as a fruit seller. Throughout his childhood, Levine, an Orthodox Jew living in a French-Canadian settlement, felt like an outsider.
At the age of twenty, Levine joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was stationed in a squadron based in Yorkshire, England. Returning to Canada after completing his duty, Levine attended McGill University in Montreal. He received his master of arts degree from McGill University in 1949, and was subsequently awarded a five thousand dollar fellowship for post-graduate work at Kings College in London, England.
After completing his post-graduate work, Levine settled in St. Ives, England. There, in 1948, Levine wrote his first published book of poetry, titled Myssium. Four years later, he published his first novel, The Angled Road, which was based on his military experiences with the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Levine was best known for his controversial nonfiction work titled Canada Made Me. This work, an account of Levine’s travels across Canada, portrayed Canada as the land of the provincial, vulgar, and poverty stricken. Canada Made Me was successfully published in England in 1958. However, due to the hostilities toward his portrayal of Canada, Levine’s book would not be published in his native land until 1979.
In his later years, Levine returned to Canada and continued to write and publish several more novels. Before his death in 2005, Levine was awarded the Writer’s Trust of Canada Matt Cohen Award for Lifetime Achievement.