Alden Nowlan

David Eso (University of Victoria)
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Alden Nowlan (1933-1983) overcame hardscrabble beginnings to become an important Canadian poet of his generation. His writing sometimes reflects the rural poverty that marked his Nova Scotia childhood, and it frequently explores the cultural character of Atlantic Canada, the region in which he resided for five decades. Eleven collections of poems appeared between 1958 and 1982, a body of work gathered in

Alden Nowlan: Collected Poems

(2017). Across its 650 pages, that volume documents a maturation that moved from formal to free-verse and from local scenes related by a distanced observer to intimately reflective pieces as well as poems inspired by travel or world history. The author’s lesser-known contributions include two novels, two collections of short fiction, three published…

3014 words

Citation: Eso, David. "Alden Nowlan". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 05 November 2021 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=3359, accessed 29 March 2024.]

3359 Alden Nowlan 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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