Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour
1 appearances
-
Edition 42 (1989) Winner
Joseph Kertes
ジョセフ・ケルテス
Josefu Kerutesu
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1951-01-01 （Hungary）
- Nationality
- Canadian
- Languages
- Hungarian, English
- Residence History
- Hungary → Canada
Career
- Occupations
- writer, educator, dean
- Active Years
- 1989-2024
- Affiliations
- Humber College
- Influenced By
- Irving Layton, Marshall McLuhan
- Nominations
- City of Toronto Book Award nomination (Last Impressions), Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour finalist (Last Impressions), National Magazine Award nomination (The Truth About Lying), CBC Literary Award finalist (Records)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| York University | — | English Department | — | — | Canada |
| University of Toronto | — | English Department | — | — | Canada |
York University
English Department
Country:
Canada
University of Toronto
English Department
Country:
Canada
Irving Layton and Marshall McLuhan encouraged his writing.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour | Winter Tulips | — | Leacock Association | winner |
| 2010 | Canadian Jewish Book Award | Gratitude | — | — | winner |
| 2010 | National Jewish Book Award | Gratitude | Fiction | Jewish Book Council | winner |
| 2017 | Harbourfront Festival Prize | — | — | — | winner |
Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour
1989
Work:
Winter Tulips
Organization:
Leacock Association
Result:
winner
Canadian Jewish Book Award
2010
Work:
Gratitude
Result:
winner
National Jewish Book Award
2010
Work:
Gratitude
Category:
Fiction
Organization:
Jewish Book Council
Result:
winner
Harbourfront Festival Prize
2017
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
-
Edition 21 (2009) Winner
Works
Major Works
Winter Tulips
1989 Humour NovelHis first novel.
humour
Gratitude
2007 Historical FictionA sprawling novel about the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, praised for its characters and historical depth.
Hungarian Revolutionhuman psychologyhistory
The Afterlife of Stars
2016 NovelNew York Times Book Editor's Choice.
Last Impressions
2018 Humour NovelNominated for City of Toronto Book Award, finalist for Stephen Leacock Medal.
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- humorous and precisepassionate
- Recurring Motifs
- historical eventshuman flaws and glories
Legacy
A writer who fled Hungary with his family after the 1956 revolution to Canada. Known for humorous novels winning major awards, and as founder of Humber College's creative writing programs.
Quotes
-
The story grabbed me and wouldn't let go; I found it totally engrossing. It is a huge, sprawling novel, yet beautifully precise. Gratitude brings new life to well-known history, but the lasting strength of this wonderful book is its people, in all their flaws and glories. It is a massive achievement.
Source: Roddy Doyle on Gratitude -
A rich, grand novel. It reveals the complexity of human psychology and motivations. It shows the fate and the cruelty and generosity of human beings caught in the violence of history. Joseph Kertes writes with tremendous skill, strength, and passion, which make reading this book sheer pleasure. Stylistically and thematically, it is a remarkable achievement.
Source: Ha Jin on Gratitude