Lawrence Hill Biography

Fast Facts

• Won the National Magazine Award for his article "Is Africa's Pain Black America's Burden?" in 2005
• Is a patron of Crossroads International, the Black Loyalist Heritage Society and Project Bookmark Canada and serves on the advisory council of Book Clubs for Inmates
• Won several awards for his 2007 novel "The Book of Negroes," including The Rogers/Writers' Trust Fiction Prize and The Commonwealth Prize
• Won the Hamilton Literary Award for non-fiction for his book "Blood: The Stuff of Life" in 2013
• Graduated from Laval University with a degree in economics and earned his master's in writing from Johns Hopkins University
• Worked as a reporter for the newspaper The Globe and Mail and was a parliamentary correspondent for The Winnipeg Free Press
• Quote: "[on people who threatened to burn copies of "The Book of Negroes"] "Burning books is designed to intimidate people․ It underestimates the intelligence of readers, stifles dialogue and insults those who cherish the freedom to read and write․""
• Quote: "I used to support this idea that you write what you know․ You hear that advice given to young writers ․․․ What about what you imagine? The imagination is the richest tool you will ever have ․․․ To use your imagination is to use a gift of the gods․"
• Best known as the author of "The Book of Negroes" and "Blood: The Stuff of Life․"
• Co-wrote the screenplay for the TV miniseries version of "The Book of Negroes" with director Clement Virgo