Mary Jean Chan
Mary Jean Chan is a Hong Kong Chinese-British poet, lecturer, editor and critic. Her first poetry collection, Flèche, won the 2019 Costa Book Award in the Poetry category. She was also a 2019 recipient of an Eric Gregory Award for a collection by poets under the age of 30. Chan is a Ledbury Poetry Critic and was guest co-editor of The Poetry Review for Spring 2020. She currently lives in London.
Mary Jean Chan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1990 (age 29–30)[1] Hong Kong |
| Occupation | Poet, lecturer, editor |
| Residence | London |
| Education | Royal Holloway University of Oxford Swarthmore College |
| Genre | Poetry |
| Notable works | Flèche |
| Notable awards | Costa Book Awards Eric Gregory Award |
| Website | |
| www | |
Biography
Mary Jean Chan was born in 1990 and was raised in Hong Kong.[1] She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Swarthmore College in 2012 with a BA in Political Science. She furthered her studies at the University of Oxford where she obtained an MPhil in 2015 in International Development. She also completed an MA and a PhD in Creative Writing at Royal Holloway, University of London.[2][3]
In 2018, Chan's pamphlet, A Hurry of English, was published by ignitionpress and was chosen as a Poetry Book Society Summer Pamphlet Choice.[4] Chan's debut poetry collection Flèche was published by Faber & Faber (2019). It was chosen as a Poetry Book Society Autumn Recommendation[5]. The book won the Costa Book Award for Poetry in 2019.[6]
In 2019, Mary Jean Chan was named as one of Jackie Kay's 10 Best BAME Writers in Britain, describing her poetry as "psychologically astute and culturally complex."[7]
Chan is a Ledbury Poetry Critic[8]. She is currently Lecturer in Creative Writing (Poetry) at Oxford Brookes University.[9]
Awards
- 2020 Dylan Thomas Prize (Shortlisted for Flèche)[10]
- 2019 Costa Book Award for Poetry, Flèche[6]
- 2019 Eric Gregory Award, A Hurry Of English[11]
- 2019 Forward Prize for Best Single Poem (Shortlisted for 'The Window')[3]
- 2018 Poetry Society Geoffrey Dearmer Award[12]
- 2017 Forward Prize for Best Single Poem (Shortlisted for '//')[13]
- 2017 Poetry Society Anne Born Prize[14]
- 2017 National Poetry Competition (Second Place) ,'The Window'[1]
- 2016 Oxford Brookes International Poetry Competition, 'Wet Nurse'[15]
Bibliography
- Flèche (Faber & Faber, 2019)
- A Hurry of English (ignitionpress, 2018)
References
- "Mary Jean Chan". Poetry Society. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
- Riggs, Jonathan. "Waxing Poetric". Swarthmore College. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
- "Forward Arts Foundation in Conversation with Mary Jean Chan". Forward Arts Foundation. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
- Poetry Book Society. "A Hurry of English by Mary Jean Chan". Poetry Book Society.
- "Autumn Selections 2019". Poetry Book Society. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
- "Jonathan Coe's Brexit-themed novel among Costa Book Award winners". BBC. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
- Kay, Jackie. "Jackie Kay selects Britain's 10 best BAME writers". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
- "Ledbury Emerging Critics Programme". Ledbury Poetry festival. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
- "Mary Jean Chan (poet)". Poetry International. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
- "Dylan Thomas Prize 2020 shortlist announced". Books+Publishing. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- "Eric Gregory Award Winners". Eric Gregory Award. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
- "Geoffrey Dearmer Prize". The Poetry Society. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
- "Forward Prizes of Poetry 2017 Winners". Forward Arts Foundation. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
- "Anne Born Prize". The PoetrySociety. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
- "2016 Winners and shortlist". Oxford Brooks University. Retrieved 10 January 2020.