History of Alice Munro in Timeline

Alice Munro, a Canadian short story writer, received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013. Her writing is recognized for its innovative approach to the short story form, particularly its manipulation of time through forward and backward movements and the incorporation of interconnected short fiction cycles.

July 1931: Alice Munro's Birth

Alice Ann Laidlaw, who would later be known as Alice Munro, was born in July 1931.

1949: University Studies

Alice Munro began majoring in English at the University of Western Ontario.

1950: First Published Story

Alice Munro published her first short story, "The Dimensions of a Shadow", while studying at the University of Western Ontario.

1951: Marriage and Move

Alice Munro left the university to marry James Munro. They moved to Dundarave, West Vancouver.

1953: Birth of Sheila Munro

Alice Munro gave birth to her first daughter, Sheila Munro. This marked a significant life event and the beginning of her journey into motherhood.

1955: Birth and Loss of Catherine Munro

Alice Munro gave birth to her daughter Catherine, who tragically died the same day due to a kidney dysfunction. This was a profoundly sad and life-altering event for Munro.

1957: Birth of Jenny Munro

Alice Munro gave birth to her daughter Jenny, expanding her family and continuing her journey as a mother.

1963: Move to Victoria and Munro's Books

Alice and James Munro moved to Victoria and opened Munro's Books, a bookstore that still operates today.

1966: Birth of Andrea Munro

Alice Munro gave birth to her daughter Andrea, adding another member to her family.

1968: Governor General's Award for "Dance of the Happy Shades"

Alice Munro won her first Governor General's Award for her debut collection of stories, "Dance of the Happy Shades".

1971: Publication of "Lives of Girls and Women"

Alice Munro published "Lives of Girls and Women", a collection of interconnected stories.

1972: Divorce from James Munro

Alice and James Munro divorced, marking the end of their marriage and a significant life change for Munro.

1972: First PhD Thesis on Alice Munro's Work

The first PhD thesis dedicated to analyzing Alice Munro's writing was published.

1974: Publication of "Home"

Alice Munro published her story "Home", which she would later republish in variant versions.

1976: Return to Ontario, Second Marriage, and Honorary Degree

Alice Munro returned to Ontario and became writer in residence at the University of Western Ontario, receiving an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the institution. She also married Gerald Fremlin, a cartographer and geographer she had met during her university days. These events signify a period of significant professional recognition and personal development.

1978: Governor General's Award for "Who Do You Think You Are?"

Alice Munro won her second Governor General's Award for the story collection "Who Do You Think You Are?"

1979: International Tour

Alice Munro embarked on a tour of Australia, China, and Scandinavia for public appearances and readings.

1980: Booker Prize Shortlist

"Who Do You Think You Are?", published internationally as "The Beggar Maid", was shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Fiction.

1980: First Publication of 'Wood'

Alice Munro first published her short story 'Wood.' This story would later be revisited and revised by Munro, demonstrating her commitment to refining her work over time.

1980: Writer in Residence Positions

Alice Munro held the position of writer in residence at the University of British Columbia and the University of Queensland.

1982: End of International Tour

Alice Munro concluded her tour of Australia, China, and Scandinavia.

1984: Publication of "The Art of Alice Munro: Saying the Unsayable"

The first book-length collection of essays on Alice Munro's work, titled "The Art of Alice Munro: Saying the Unsayable", was published.

1986: Move to McClelland and Stewart

Alice Munro followed editor Douglas Gibson to McClelland and Stewart, returning an advance from Macmillan to maintain their professional relationship.

1988: Film Adaptation of "Martha, Ruth and Edie"

The film "Martha, Ruth and Edie", based on Alice Munro's short stories, was released.

1996: Marian Engel Award

Alice Munro was awarded the Marian Engel Award by the Writers' Trust of Canada.

1998: Variant Versions of "Save the Reaper"

Alice Munro released two different versions of her story "Save the Reaper" in the same year.

2001: Publication of "Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage"

Alice Munro published the story collection "Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage", marking a shift in her focus to the experiences of middle-aged and older individuals.

2002: Publication of 'Lives of Mothers and Daughters'

Sheila Munro, Alice Munro's daughter, published her memoir, 'Lives of Mothers and Daughters: Growing Up with Alice Munro.' This provided a unique perspective on Alice Munro's life from her daughter's point of view.

2002: Film Adaptation of "Edge of Madness"

The film "Edge of Madness", adapted from Alice Munro's work, was released.

2003: Free Online Availability of Works

Nearly 20 of Alice Munro's works were made available for free online, often in their initial versions.

2003: Open Letter Journal Focus on Alice Munro

The journal "Open Letter. Canadian quarterly review of writing and sources" published 14 contributions focused on Alice Munro's work.

2004: Publication of "Runaway"

Alice Munro published "Runaway", further exploring themes of middle age and the challenges faced by women.

2004: Variant Versions of "Passion"

Alice Munro published two different versions of her story "Passion" in the same year.

2004: Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize

Alice Munro received the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize for her book "Runaway".

2004: Open Letter Journal Focus on Alice Munro (continued)

The journal "Open Letter. Canadian quarterly review of writing and sources" continued its publication of 14 contributions on Alice Munro's writing.

2006: Republished Version of "Home"

Alice Munro republished a variant version of her story "Home."

2006: Alice Munro's Writing Process

Ann Close and Lisa Dickler Awano revealed that Alice Munro was a tireless self-editor who often rewrote and revised her stories. She even wrote eight different versions of her story 'Powers.' This highlights Munro's commitment to refining her work and her dedication to achieving the perfect expression of her ideas.

2006: Film Adaptation of "Away from Her"

The film "Away from Her", based on Alice Munro's short stories, was released.

2009: Man Booker International Prize

Alice Munro received the Man Booker International Prize for her lifetime contributions to literature.

2009: Republished Version of "Wood"

Alice Munro republished a variant version of her story "Wood."

2009: Revision and Republishing of 'Wood'

Alice Munro returned to her short story 'Wood,' nearly 30 years after its initial publication. She revised characterizations, themes, perspectives, and even made changes at the sentence level, resulting in a new eight-section version with a different ending. This showcased her dedication to her craft and her belief in the evolving nature of storytelling.

2009: Health Challenges

Alice Munro revealed that she had undergone treatment for cancer and a heart condition that required coronary artery bypass surgery. This brought to light her health struggles.

2010: Journal of the Short Story in English Special Issue

The "Journal of the Short Story in English (JSSE)/Les cahiers de la nouvelle" dedicated a special issue to the work of Alice Munro.

2011: Introduction for Gibson's Memoir

Alice Munro wrote the introduction for Douglas Gibson's memoir.

2012: Consistent Short Story Publication

Alice Munro consistently published a short story collection at least every four years from the 1980s to 2012.

2012: Narrative Journal Focus on "Passion"

An issue of the journal "Narrative" focused on an in-depth analysis of Alice Munro's short story "Passion".

April 2013: Death of Gerald Fremlin

Gerald Fremlin, Alice Munro's second husband, passed away at the age of 88. This was a significant personal loss for Munro.

October 2013: Nobel Prize in Literature

Alice Munro was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, hailed as a "master of the contemporary short story."

2013: Retirement from Writing

Alice Munro largely retired from writing.

2013: Nobel Prize in Literature

Alice Munro was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, recognized for revolutionizing the architecture of short stories.

2013: Film Adaptation of "Hateship, Loveship"

The film "Hateship, Loveship", adapted from Alice Munro's work, was released.

2014: Republished Version of "Home"

Alice Munro published another variant version of her story "Home."

2016: Film Adaptation of "Julieta"

The film "Julieta", based on Alice Munro's short stories, was released.

May 2024: Death of Alice Munro

Alice Munro passed away at her home in Port Hope, Ontario, at the age of 92. It was revealed that she had been living with dementia for at least 12 years. Her death marked the end of an era for Canadian literature and the world of short story writing.