Ethan Canin

Canin

Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Ethan Canin attended Stanford University where he studied physics before switching to English. His writing instructors were so impressed by his stories that they helped him publish his material. It was Canin's successes at Stanford that earned him his place at the Writers' Workshop. Later, while studying medicine at Harvard, an editor from Houghton Mifflin called to propose a book of his stories. The result was Emperor of the Air (1999). Later, the title story of his collection of short stories The Palace Thief (1994) was made into a 2002 film called The Emperor's Club.

Canin's other works include Blue River (1991), For Kings and Planets: A Novel (1998), and Carry Me Across the Water: A Novel (2001). He has also been a contributor to Esquire, Newsweek, and Redbook. His work features universal experiences such as growing up, aging, and family matters.

** "Canin, Ethan." Contemporary Authors, Volume 135. 1992 ed.

Author biography in part by Deanna Sue Thomann, The Iowa Literary Walk website

Fiction |Faculty |Iowa Writers' Workshop
Email this article