Ray Guy
Ray Guy is a prominent Canadian author born on April 22, 1939, in Newfoundland, where he has built a significant literary career. After earning a journalism degree from Ryerson Polytechnic Institute in Toronto in 1963, he returned to St. John's and worked for the Evening Standard newspaper for twelve years. His early writing was characterized by a satirical and cynical approach to social and political issues, often infused with Newfoundland vernacular. Guy's debut books, *You May Know Them As Sea Urchins, Ma'am* and *That Far Greater Bay*, both published in 1985, were collections of his columns from the Evening Standard. In addition to his newspaper work, he ventured into freelance writing, producing notable fiction, plays, and nonfiction. His works include the fable *An Heroine for Our Time* (1983) and the black comedy murder mystery play *Young Triffie's Been Made Away With* (1985). Throughout his career, Guy has received various accolades, including the Leacock Medal for Humour and two National Magazine Awards for his humorous writing, affirming his impact on Canadian literature.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Ray Guy
Writer
- Born: April 22, 1939
- Birthplace: Come-by-Chance, Newfoundland, Canada
- Died: May 14, 2013
Biography
Ray Guy was born in Newfoundland, Canada, on April 22, 1939, and has based his literary career in that Canadian province. After completing his degree in journalism at Ryerson Polytechnic Institute in Toronto in 1963, Guy returned to St. John’s. For the next twelve years, he wrote for that city’s Evening Standard newspaper. He married in 1975 and had two daughters.
Guy’s first two books (You May Know Them As Sea Urchins, Ma’am and That Far Greater Bay, both 1985), as well as later volumes, are collections of columns he wrote for the Evening Standard. The range of Guy’s newspaper topics is wide, and his writing is noted for its satirical and cynical commentary on social and political life as well as its use of Newfoundland vernacular. In 1975, Guy became a freelance writer and produced fiction and plays. He wrote An Heroine for Our Time in 1983, a fable about a giant child who is exploited for commercial purposes, and the playYoung Triffie’s Been Made Away With in 1985, a black comedy murder mystery. He also wrote nonfiction (Outhouses of the East, 1978) and plays for radio and television (such as “Old Skipper’s” monologues for the CBC-TV program All Around the Circle). He won numerous national awards for feature writing, such as the Leacock Medal for Humour in 1977, and twice won National Magazine Awards (1980, 1984) for his humorous writing.