Irving Layton | Brief Biography
Irving Layton | Brief Biography
Irving Layton (1912-2006) was a Romanian-born Canadian poet who was known for his passionate, rebellious, and outspoken style of writing. He emigrated to Canada in 1913 and grew up in Montreal, Quebec.
Layton was educated at Baron Byng High School and later at McGill University, where he studied economics. He became interested in poetry while attending university and began publishing his work in literary magazines and newspapers.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Irving Layton was associated with the Montreal Group of poets, which included A.M. Klein, Leonard Cohen, and Louis Dudek. He was known for his intense and direct style of poetry, which was often political and tackled social and moral issues. He was a strong advocate for individual freedom and was often critical of organized religion, capitalism, and government.
Layton’s first book of poetry, “Here and Now,” was published in 1945 and was followed by a long string of collections, including “A Red Carpet for the Sun” (1958), “The Laughing Rooster” (1962), “The Third Meaning” (1973), and “Selected Poems” (1978). He received numerous awards for his poetry, including the Governor General’s Award for Poetry in 1963 and the Order of Canada in 1974.
Throughout his life, Irving Layton was a controversial figure and was known for his passionate and often heated debates with other writers and intellectuals. He was also a popular teacher and mentor to many young writers, including Leonard Cohen.
Irving Layton died on January 4, 2006, at the age of 93. He is remembered as one of Canada’s greatest poets and as a literary icon who challenged the status quo and encouraged others to think critically and independently. 0 0 0.
N.B. The article originally belongs to the book ‘Introduction to Men of Letters‘ by Menonim Menonimus.
Books of Biography by M. Menonimus:
- The World Writers-Brief Biographies
- Introduction to World Writers
- Introduction to World Personalities
- Love of Reputed Persons
- Brief Biographies of Prominent Bengali Writers
- Brief Biographies of Eminent Monarchs
- Brief Biographies of Ancient Thinkers and Writers
- Brief Biographies of Eminent Generals and Conquerors
- Biographies of Writers Around the World
- Introduction to Men of Letters ..
Books of Literary Criticism by M. Menonimus:
- World Short Story Criticism
- World Poetry Criticism
- World Drama Criticism
- World Novel Criticism
- World Essay Criticism
- Indian English Poetry Criticism
- Indian English Poets and Poetry Chief Features
- Emily Dickinson’s Poetry-A Thematic Study
- Walt Whitman’s Poetry-A Thematic Study
- Critical Essays on English Poetry
- Tawfiq al-Hakim’s Novel: Return of the Spirit-An Analytical Study
- Tawfiq al-Hakim’s Novel: ‘Yawmiyyat Naib Fil Arayaf’-An Analytical Study
- Analytical Studies of Some Arabic Short Stories
- A Brief History of Arabic Literature: Pre-Islamic Period (500 AD-622 AD)
- A Brief History of Arabic Literature: Early Islamic Period (622 AD-661 AD)
- Reviews on William Shakespeare’s Works
- Reviews of Charles Dickens’ Works
- Reviews of John Milton’s Literary Works
- Reviews of Some Iconic Travelogues …
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