Ann-Marie MacDonald


Full Name and Common Aliases


Ann-Marie MacDonald is a Canadian author, playwright, actress, and activist. Her full name is often cited as Ann Marie MacDonald, though she may be referred to as AM MacDonald in some contexts.

Birth and Death Dates


Born on March 15, 1958, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Ann-Marie MacDonald's life has been marked by significant milestones in the literary world. Unfortunately, there is no record of her passing.

Nationality and Profession(s)


Ann-Marie MacDonald holds Canadian nationality. Her professional career spans multiple disciplines: author, playwright, actress, and activist.

Early Life and Background


Growing up in a bilingual household had a profound impact on Ann-Marie's life. She spent part of her childhood in Montreal, where French was the primary language spoken at home, before moving to Toronto with her family. This unique cultural blend influenced her perspective as a writer. MacDonald's education also played a crucial role in shaping her future career. She attended York University and later earned an MA from the University of East Anglia.

Major Accomplishments


Ann-Marie MacDonald is renowned for several groundbreaking works. Her novel, Fall on Your Knees, won the 1996 Commonwealth Writers' Prize and was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award. This novel showcases her ability to delve into complex themes such as family secrets and social stigma.

Notable Works or Actions


MacDonald has also made significant contributions through her plays. Her work, Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet), reimagines Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet from the perspective of two female characters in a 1950s Ontario university setting. This innovative approach to classic literature earned her critical acclaim.

Impact and Legacy


Ann-Marie MacDonald has left an indelible mark on Canadian literature and beyond. Her exploration of themes such as identity, family dynamics, and societal expectations continues to resonate with readers worldwide. As a female writer in a traditionally male-dominated field, she paved the way for future generations of women authors.

Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered


Ann-Marie MacDonald's influence can be attributed to her unflinching portrayal of complex subjects through multiple mediums. Her unique voice and perspective have not only contributed significantly to Canadian literature but also inspired a new wave of authors to tackle difficult topics with nuance and sensitivity.

By examining the diverse range of works created by Ann-Marie MacDonald, readers gain insight into both her personal experiences and the broader themes that continue to resonate in contemporary society.

Quotes by Ann-Marie MacDonald

You always run into something no matter where you go. Turns out you’re someplace after all.
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You always run into something no matter where you go. Turns out you’re someplace after all.
James could do all this because he had made a bargain with himself: he wouldn’t try to get killed, nor would he try to survive. He could do all this because he felt terribly sorry for the men he rescued. They harbored the saddest and most foolish desire of all. The desire to go on living.
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James could do all this because he had made a bargain with himself: he wouldn’t try to get killed, nor would he try to survive. He could do all this because he felt terribly sorry for the men he rescued. They harbored the saddest and most foolish desire of all. The desire to go on living.
When will she discover that I am from a lesser race of immortals? But the high deities have always needed pixies to persuade them down to earth. When she no longer needs an intermediary, will she still love me?
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When will she discover that I am from a lesser race of immortals? But the high deities have always needed pixies to persuade them down to earth. When she no longer needs an intermediary, will she still love me?
Frances is a diamond, passed from filthy paw to paw but never diminished. The men who handle her can leave no mark because her worth is far above them. Hard, helpless, buried. You can hear it in her voice and see it in her eyes, she is waiting for a strong and fearless miner to go way down and rescue her up to the surface where she can shine for all she’s worth.
"
Frances is a diamond, passed from filthy paw to paw but never diminished. The men who handle her can leave no mark because her worth is far above them. Hard, helpless, buried. You can hear it in her voice and see it in her eyes, she is waiting for a strong and fearless miner to go way down and rescue her up to the surface where she can shine for all she’s worth.
But I have discovered something about modest people. They’re just waiting for the call. Then they are the first over the wall and into the temple.
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But I have discovered something about modest people. They’re just waiting for the call. Then they are the first over the wall and into the temple.
I thought I would get calmer, surer, but each time we come close I feel almost sick at first. As though each time vibrates with the times before. I feel a terrible sorrow coming up my throat, I don’t know why. And it can only be consoled against the length of her body. Lying down with her for the first time... all the pain I didn’t know I had, till at her touch it disappeared like smoke. Is this what purgatory feels like? To burn painlessly? If so, why isn’t it called heaven?
"
I thought I would get calmer, surer, but each time we come close I feel almost sick at first. As though each time vibrates with the times before. I feel a terrible sorrow coming up my throat, I don’t know why. And it can only be consoled against the length of her body. Lying down with her for the first time... all the pain I didn’t know I had, till at her touch it disappeared like smoke. Is this what purgatory feels like? To burn painlessly? If so, why isn’t it called heaven?
As for sin. I honestly can’t believe God is so bored or so lecherous as to care how close my body and its various parts get to someone else’s various parts.
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As for sin. I honestly can’t believe God is so bored or so lecherous as to care how close my body and its various parts get to someone else’s various parts.
It’s a sin for Lily to let Mercedes think it was Daddy who beat up Frances. But he has done it in the past. Surely truth can be borrowed across time without perishing. Shelf life, so to speak.
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It’s a sin for Lily to let Mercedes think it was Daddy who beat up Frances. But he has done it in the past. Surely truth can be borrowed across time without perishing. Shelf life, so to speak.
It’s where she belongs, she craves the caress of the violent shore, to come alive like that once more in a clash of stone and then to die.
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It’s where she belongs, she craves the caress of the violent shore, to come alive like that once more in a clash of stone and then to die.
She never knows when it might strike. The rage. And when it does, she loses her grip on herself – literally. At times, she could swear she sees another self – shiny black phantom, faceless, as though clad in a bodysuit – leaping out of her, pulling the rest of her in its wake. Over the edge.
"
She never knows when it might strike. The rage. And when it does, she loses her grip on herself – literally. At times, she could swear she sees another self – shiny black phantom, faceless, as though clad in a bodysuit – leaping out of her, pulling the rest of her in its wake. Over the edge.
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