Edward Carson is twice winner of the E.J. Pratt Poetry Award in Canada, the University of Toronto St. Michael’s College Award for Excellence in English Literature, and is the author of Scenes, Taking Shape, Birds Flock Fish School, Knots, Look Here Look Away Look Again, whereabouts, movingparts and twofold. In 2010 and again in 2019 he was Writer in Residence for Open Book Toronto. His work has been long listed for the CBC Literary Awards.
He has had a variety of careers involving the word, including co-founder/editor of the literary periodical, Rune, and lecturer in English Literature at the University of Toronto. He has served as Director/Chief Business Officer at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, as well as President of several major book publishing companies, including Penguin Group (Canada), Pearson Technology Group Canada, Distican (Simon and Schuster Canada), HarperCollins Canada, and, while Vice President and head of publishing, founded the successful publishing list of Random House of Canada.
Throughout his publishing career he taught the business of publishing at Ryerson University, Humber College, and as co-director of theBanff Publishing Workshop. He also has participated on various Boards of Directors, including PEN Canada, BookNet Canada, and is a past president of the Canadian Publishers’ Council.
As an editor and publisher, he has worked with an array of accomplished local and international authors, including Joseph Boyden, Carol Shields, Dennis Lee, Erna Paris, Marilyn Bowering, John Irving, D.G. Jones, Keith Maillard, Julian Barnes, Maggie Siggins, John Ralston Saul, Barry Lopez, Robert Kroetsch, Eli Mandel, and Janice Kulyk Keefer.