Timothy Findley

Canadian novelist and playwright Timothy Findley born in 1930 in Toronto initially aimed for a career in the arts but found his calling as a writer during a stint in London Back in Canada he scripted for various media notably contributing to CBCs The National Dream winning him an ACTRA award His acclaimed novel The Wars based on his Uncle Thomass wartime letters earned him critical acclaim and the Governor Generals Literature Award in 1977 touching on themes recurring in his works like violence and individual survival A vocal advocate he cofounded the Writers Union of Canada and led the Canadian chapter of PEN International His life was profiled in the 1992 film Timothy Findley Anatomy of a Writer His substantial literary legacy includes 10 novels short story collections plays and screenplays notably the film adaptation of The Wars in 1981 Recognized by the Officer of the Order of Canada Findley valued his characters selfnaming believing it added authenticity to his narratives