Michael Kaan

Michael Kaan is a Canadian writer, whose debut novel The Water Beetles was published in 2017. ^[1] The novel, a family saga about a young boy's experience during the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong, was based in part on Kaan's father's memoirs. ^[2]

Life

Kaan, the child of a father from Hong Kong and a Canadian mother, was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. ^[3] He completed a degree in English from the University of Manitoba, later completing an MBA in Health Economics from the same institution. ^[4] He has worked as a healthcare administrator since 2000, primarily in mental health and health research.

Work

The Water Beetles was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award for English-language fiction at the 2017 Governor General's Awards, ^[5] and won the 2018 amazon.ca First Novel Award, ^[6] the Margaret Laurence Prize for Fiction, ^[7] and the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Prize. ^[8]

References

1. "Michael Kaan’s spider-silken debut demands second read". Toronto Star , April 30, 2017.
2. "Family history splinters in debut novel The Water Beetles". The Georgia Straight , April 19, 2017.
3. "Michael Kaan Wins 2018 First Novel Award Presented by Amazon Canada and The Walrus". Cision , May 22, 2018.
4. "CBC: Winnipeg author wins $40K national First Novel Award". University of Manitoba, May 23, 2018.
5. "Finalists named for 2017 Governor General's Literary Awards". Montreal Gazette , October 4, 2017.
6. "Michael Kaan wins Amazon Canada First Novel Award for The Water Beetles". The Globe and Mail , May 22, 2018.
7. "Meet the 2019 CBC Short Story Prize readers".
8. "Manitoba Book Award SHORTLIST". uofmpress.ca. Retrieved 2023-12-17.