{{Short description|Canadian poet, journalist, editor and novelist (1950–2024)}} {{for|the English speedway rider|Brian Brett (speedway rider)}} {{Infobox person | name = Brian Brett | image = Brian Brett.jpg | caption = Brett in 2009 | birth_date = {{Birth date|1950|04|28}} | birth_place = Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|01|17|1950|04|28}} | death_place = | occupation = Poet, novelist | alma_mater = Simon Fraser University }}
'''Brian Brett''' (April 28, 1950 – January 17, 2024) was a Canadian poet, journalist, editor and novelist.<ref name=canenc>[https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/brian-brett/ Brian Brett] in The Canadian Encyclopedia.</ref> Brett wrote and published extensively, starting in the late 1960s, and he worked as an editor for several publishing firms, including the Governor-General's Award-winning Blackfish Press. He also wrote a three-part memoir of his life in British Columbia.
==Early life== Brian Brett was born in British Columbia. He grew up with a rare endocrine disorder, Kallmann syndrome, which prevented his body from entering puberty; he later wrote a memoir about the effect this has had on his life.<ref name="fertile"/><ref>[https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/books/marchand-1010 "For the Birds: Brian Brett's Tuco, reviewed"]. ''National Post'', Philip Marchand, October 15, 2015</ref> Brett attended Simon Fraser University between 1969 and 1974, studying literature.
==Career== [[File:Brian Brett, The Green Interview.webm|thumb|right|Brian Brett in conversation with Silver Donald Cameron about his work.]] Brett began writing in the 1960s. In the early 1970s, he worked as a freelance journalist and critic for ''The Globe and Mail'', the ''Toronto Star'', the ''Vancouver Sun'', ''The New Reader'', ''Books in Canada'', and the ''Victoria Times-Colonist''. He was a poetry critic and columnist for Vancouver's ''The Province''. He also wrote articles for many other newspapers in Canada, and his essays appeared in many magazines. For ten years he wrote a monthly newspaper column called CultureWatch for the ''Yukon News''.
Brett inaugurated the B.C. Poetry-in-the-Schools program, which for several years introduced students to world poetry. He has presented many writing workshops across Canada.
Brett was a member of P.E.N. International and the Federation of BC Writers, and the Writers' Union of Canada. He embarked on a national reading tour organized by the League of Canadian Poets, of which he was also a member.
Brett gave readings of his work on CBC Radio as well at universities, Harbourfront, Vancouver International Writers Festival, Saltwater Festival, Sechelt Writers' Festival, Wordfest: Banff Calgary International Writers Festival, the Winnipeg International Writers Festival, National Book Festival, and the Canada Council.
In May 2005, Brett became chair of the Writers' Union of Canada.<ref>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/author-brian-brett-heavily-criticizes-ubc-for-handling-of-galloway-case/article34570473/ "Author Brian Brett heavily criticizes UBC for handling of Galloway case"]. ''The Globe and Mail'', Marsha Lederman, April 3, 2017</ref>
In 2004, Brett published a book, ''Uproar's Your Only Music'', about his struggles with Kallmann syndrome.<ref name=fertile>[https://vancouversun.com/news/book+review+author+brian+brett+shows+beak+form/11481077/story.html "Book review: Author Brian Brett shows beak form"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714193658/http://www.vancouversun.com/news/book+review+author+brian+brett+shows+beak+form/11481077/story.html |date=2018-07-14 }}. Candace Fertile, ''Vancouver Sun'', 10.30.2015</ref>
In November 2009, Brett won Canada's Writers' Trust Non-Fiction Prize for ''Trauma Farm: A Rebel History of Rural Life''. The book describes a typical day in the life of his farm, with insight into the natural history of farming.<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-books-gulf-islands-1.4241089 "Check out these 4 books inspired by B.C. island life"]. ''CBC News'', Aug 09, 2017</ref><ref>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/review-trauma-farm-by-brian-brett-the-war-in-the-country-by-thomas-f-pawlick/article4291005/ "Review: Trauma Farm, by Brian Brett; The War in the Country, by Thomas F. Pawlick"]. ''The Globe and Mail'', Ingeborg Boyens, October 23, 2009</ref>
In 2016, the Writers' Trust of Canada awarded Brett the Matt Cohen Lifetime Award to honour his body of work.<ref>[http://www.macleans.ca/culture/books/rogers-writers-trust-celebrating-the-2016-winners/ "Rogers Writers' Trust: Celebrating the 2016 winners"]. ''Maclean's'', November 3, 2016.</ref>
==Personal life and death== Brett lived on his farm on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia.<ref name=NXNW>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/brian-brett-pens-memoir-about-african-grey-parrot-tuco-1.3373956 "Brian Brett pens memoir about his pet African grey parrot Tuco"]. ''North by Northwest · CBC News''. Dec 20, 2015</ref> He took testosterone to mitigate the effects of Kallmann syndrome, which included pain and osteoporosis.<ref name=fertile /> Brett died on January 17, 2024, at the age of 73.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Larkin |first1=Lilly |title=Canadian literary icon Brian Brett passes away at 73 |url=https://thethaiger.com/world/news/592574/ |access-date=19 January 2024 |publisher=Thaiger |date=19 January 2024}}</ref>
==Bibliography== *''Fossil Ground at Phantom Creek'' - 1976 *''Smoke Without Exit'' - 1984 *''Evolution in Every Direction'' - 1987 *''The Fungus Garden'' - 1988 *''Tanganyika'' - 1991 *''Poems: New and Selected'' - 1993 *''Allegories of Love and Disaster'' - 1993 *''The Colour of Bones in a Stream'' - 1998 *''Coyote'' - 2003 {{ISBN|1-894345-53-3}} *''Uproar's Your Only Music'' - 2004 {{ISBN|1-55096-607-3}} *''Trauma Farm: A Rebel History of Rural Life'' - 2009 {{ISBN|978-1-55365-474-2}}<ref name=fertile /> *''The Wind River Variations'' - 2012 {{ISBN|0889822697}} *''Tuco: The Parrot, the Others, and a Scattershot World'' - 2015 {{ISBN|1771640634}}<ref name=NXNW />
==Discography== *''Night Directions for the Lost- The Talking Songs of Brian Brett'' Tongue & Groove Records - 2003 *''Talking Songs'' by Scattered Bodies - 2014
==Anthologies== *''Poems from Planet Earth'', (Poetry), Leaf Press, Winter 2013 *''In The Flesh, Twenty Writers Explore the Body'', (Essays) Brindle & Glass, ed. by Lynne Van Luven & Kathy Page, 2011 *''Measure of the Year'', (introduction), by Roderick Haig-Brown, Touchwood Editions, 2011 *''The Heart Does Break: Canadian Writers on Grief and Mourning'', (Essays) Random House. Ed. By George Bowering and Jean Baird. Random House. 2009 *''Open Wide Wilderness: Canadian Nature Poems'', Wilfrid Laurier Press, ed. by Nancy Holmes. 2009 *''A Verse Map of Vancouver'' ed. By George McWhirter, Anvil Press, 2009. *''Wild Rivers of the Yukon's Peel Watershed: A Traveller's Guide'' (Poetry & Prose), Juri Peepre and Sarah Locke, 2008. *''Writing The West Coast'', Ronsdale Press, 2008. *''Three Rivers: The Yukon's Great Boreal Wilderness'' Harbour Publishing, 2005. *''Rendezvous With The Wild'' Houghton Mifflin, 2004. *''The Eye In The Thicket'' (Natural History Essays) Thistledown Books 2002. *''Mocambo Nights'', ed. by Patrick Lane, Ekstasis Editions, 2001. *''Lost Classics'' ed. by Ondaatje, Spalding, Redhill (Essays) Anchor Classics, 2001. *''In The Clear'' (Fiction & Poetry) Thistledown Books, 1998. *''What is Already Known'' (Fiction & Poetry) Thistledown Books, 1995. *''How I Learned To Speak Dog'' (Poetry & Prose) Douglas & McIntyre. *''Witness To Wilderness'' (Poetry & Prose), Arsenal Pulp Press, 1994. *''Because You Loved Being A Stranger'', (Poems) ed. by Susan Musgrave, Harbour Publishing, 1994. *''Myths & Voices'' (Short Stories), White Pine Press, U.S.A.,1993. *''The Last Map Is The Heart'' (Short Stories), Thistledown Books, 1989. *''15 Years In Exile'', Exile, 1992. *''Vancouver Poetry'' (Poetry), Polestar Press, 1986. *''For Rexroth'' (Poetry), The Ark, 1980. *''Western Windows'' (Poetry & Prose), Commcept Publishing Ltd., 1977. *''A Government Job At Last'' (Poetry), MacLeod Books, 1977.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.brianbrett.ca}} * [https://search.library.uvic.ca/permalink/01VIC_INST/8gqp8f/alma9921123003807291 Brian Brett fonds] at University of Victoria, Special Collections * Archives of Blackfish Press [http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=fonandcol&id=3671327&lang=eng (Blackfish Press, R11707)] are held at Library and Archives Canada. Brian Brett is one of the founders of the magazine with Allan Safarik
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Brett, Brian}} Category:1950 births Category:2024 deaths Category:Canadian male novelists Category:21st-century Canadian memoirists Category:Simon Fraser University alumni Category:Poets from Vancouver Category:20th-century Canadian novelists Category:21st-century Canadian novelists Category:20th-century Canadian poets Category:20th-century Canadian male writers Category:Canadian male poets Category:21st-century Canadian poets Category:Articles containing video clips Category:21st-century Canadian male writers Category:Canadian male non-fiction writers Category:Novelists from Vancouver