Angie Abdou
Angie Abdou | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 11, 1969 Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Author, Professor of Creative Writing |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Known for | Fiction and nonfiction works including The Bone Cage, The Canterbury Trail, Between, In Case I Go, Home Ice |
Angela "Angie" Abdou (born May 11, 1969) is a Canadian author specializing in both fiction and nonfiction genres.
Early life and education
Abdou's early years were spent in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. She has one sibling, Justin Abdou. Her academic journey includes obtaining a Bachelor of Arts with Honours from the University of Regina in 1991, followed by a Master of Arts in English from the University of Western Ontario in 1992. She completed her doctoral studies at the University of Calgary, earning a PhD in English with a focus on Creative Writing and Canadian Literature in 2009. Currently, she resides in Fernie, British Columbia with her children and serves as a Professor of Creative Writing at Athabasca University, recognized as Canada's sole open university.
Career
Abdou’s initial foray into fiction, the collection Anything Boys Can Do (2006, Thistledown Press), received acclaim as an exceptional literary debut. This work delves into modern heterosexual relationships, tackling themes such as infidelity and gender communication dynamics.
Her first novel, The Bone Cage (2007, NeWest Press), centers on two Olympic athletes approaching the end of their careers and provides an intricate exploration of the connection between physicality and self-identity within elite sports. The novel was shortlisted for CBC's 2011 Canada Reads, championed by former NHL player Georges Laraque, earned The MacEwan Book of the Year award for 2011–2012, and was featured in the inaugural "One Book, One Kootenay" initiative by the Kootenay Library Foundation.
Originating from her doctoral dissertation, Abdou’s second novel The Canterbury Trail (2011, Brindle and Glass Press) was shortlisted for the 2011 Banff Mountain Book Festival Book of the Year Award in Literature and secured a 2012 IPPY Gold Medal for Canada West.
Her third novel, Between (2014, Arsenal Pulp Press), portrays the intertwined lives of a Filipino nanny and a North American working mother. It was designated a Top Indie pick by Library Journal in Spring 2015 and recognized among the best books of 2014 by Vancouver Sun, PRISM Magazine, and 49th Shelf.
Abdou’s fifth fiction title, In Case I Go (2017, Arsenal Pulp Press), merges elements of fantasy with realistic storytelling. It was shortlisted for the Banff Mountain Book Award and highlighted as one of the most compelling mysteries of 2017 by Chatelaine magazine.
Her inaugural nonfiction publication, Home Ice: Reflections of a Reluctant Hockey Mom, debuted on Canada’s bestseller list. Praised by Booklist for its narrative nonfiction approach and described by Swedish academic Tobias Stark as "one of the most memorable hockey books ever written," it resonates strongly with parents engaged in youth sports.
In addition to writing, Abdou instructs creative writing at College of the Rockies, Sage Hill Teen Writing Experience, Write in the Kootenays, and The Fernie Writers' Conference. She actively participates in the Sport Literature Association.
Awards
- In 2024, Indigiqueerness received the Alberta Book Design award.
- In 2023, Angie Abdou was honored with the Sport Literature Association Lifetime Achievement Award, marking her as the first woman, first Canadian, and youngest recipient.
- In 2010, The Bone Cage was featured among Canadian Literature’s Top Ten highlights in Sport-in-Canadian-Literature and was voted CBC's Book Club's top sport book.
- The Bone Cage reached finalist status in CBC's Canada Reads competition in 2011.
- The Canterbury Trail was shortlisted for the Banff Mountain Book Award in 2011 and earned an IPPY for Independent Publishing.
- Between was selected by The Library Journal as a Top Indie pick for Spring 2015 and recognized as a best book of 2014 by Vancouver Sun, PRISM Magazine, and 49th Shelf.
- In Case I Go was a finalist for Fiction & Poetry at the Banff Mountain Book Award in 2018.
Bibliography
- Anything Boys Can Do (short story collection), Thistledown Press, 2006, ISBN 1-89723-512-7
- The Bone Cage (novel), NeWest Press, 2007, ISBN 978-1-89712-617-2
- The Canterbury Trail (novel), Brindle and Glass Press, 2011, ISBN 978-1-89714-250-9
- Between (novel), Arsenal Pulp Press, 2014, ISBN 978-1-89714-250-9
- In Case I Go (novel), Arsenal Pulp Press, 2017, ISBN 978-1-55152-703-1
- Writing the Body in Motion: A Critical Anthology on Canadian Sport Literature (co-edited with Jamie Dopp), Athabasca University Press, 2018, ISBN 978-1-77199-228-2
- Home Ice: Reflections of a Reluctant Hockey Mom (memoir), ECW Press, 2018, ISBN 978-1-77041-445-7
- This One Wild Life: A Mother-Daughter Wilderness Memoir (memoir), ECW Press, 2021, ISBN 978-1-77041-600-0
- Indigiqueerness: Joshua Whitehead in Conversation with Angie Abdou, Athabasca University Press, 2023, ISBN 978-1-77199-391-3
- Not Hockey: Critical Essays On Canada's Other Sport Literature (co-edited with Jamie Dopp), Athabasca University Press, 2023, ISBN 978-1-77199-377-7
External links
- Canadian women short story writers
- People from Moose Jaw
- University of Regina alumni
- University of Western Ontario alumni
- People from the Regional District of East Kootenay
- 1969 births
- Living people
- University of Calgary alumni
- 21st-century Canadian novelists
- 21st-century Canadian women novelists
- 21st-century Canadian short story writers