IrynaSpica

Manolis (Emmanuel) Aligizakis

BIOGRAPHY

Manolis (Emmanuel Aligizakis) is a Greek-Canadian poet and author. He was recently appointed an honorary instructor and fellow of the International Arts Academy, and awarded an honorary Bachelor of Arts in Literature. He is recognized for his ability to convey images and thoughts in a rich and evocative way that tugs at something deep within the reader. Born in the village of Kolibari on the island of Crete in 1947, he moved with his family at a young age to Thessaloniki and then to Athens, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Sciences from the Panteion University of Athens. After graduation, he served in the armed forces for two years and emigrated to Vancouver in 1973, where he worked as an iron worker, train labourer, taxi driver, and stock broker, and studied English Literature at Simon Fraser University. He has written three novels and numerous collections of poetry, which are steadily being released as published works. His articles, poems and short stories in both Greek and English have appeared in various magazines and newspapers in Canada, United States, Australia, Sweden and Greece. He now lives in White Rock, where he spends his time writing, gardening, traveling, and heading Libros Libertad, an unorthodox and independent publishing company which he founded in 2006 with the mission of publishing literary books.

Awards and distinctions

• 2nd Prize for poetry, Interartia Festival, 2012
• 2nd prize for short stories, interartia Festival, 2012
• 1st Prize for poetry, 7th Volos poetry Competition, 2012
• Honorary Bachelor of Arts in Literature, International Arts Academy, 2012
• Honorary instructor and fellow, International Arts Academy, 2012
• 2nd Prize for poetry, Interartia Festival, 2011
• 3rd prize for short stories, Interartia Festival, 2011

Books by Manolis

• Mythography, paintings and poetry, Libros Libertad, 2012
• Nostos and Algos, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2012
• Vortex, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2011
• The Circle, novel, Libros Libertad, 2011
• Vernal Equinox, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2011
• Opera Bufa, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2010
• Vespers, poetry by Manolis paintings by Ken Kirkby, Libros Libertad, 2010
• Triptych, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2010
• Nuances, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2009
• Rendition, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2009
• Impulses, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2009
• Troglodytes, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2008
• Petros Spathis, novel, Libros Libertad, 2008
• El Greco, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2007
• Path of Thorns, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2006
• Footprints in Sandstone, poetry, Authorhouse, Bloomington, Indiana, 2006
• The Orphans - an Anthology, poetry, Authorhouse, Bloomington, Indiana, 2005

Translations by Manolis

• George Seferis-Collected Poems, Libros Libertad, 2012
• Cavafy-Selected Poems, Ekstasis Editions, 2011
• Yannis Ritsos-Poems, Libros Libertad, 2010
• Constantine P. Cafavy - Poems, Libros Libertad, 2008

Books in Greek

• Earini Isimeria, poetry, ENEKEN PUBLICATIONS, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2011
• Stratis o Roukounas, novel (in Greek), Aristidis Mavridis Publishing, Athens, Greece, 1981

Magazines-Anthologies

• Canadian Fiction Magazine, Victoria, BC
• Pacific Rim Review of Books, Victoria, BC
• Canadian Poetry Review, Victoria, BC
• Monday Poem, Leaf Press, Lantzville, BC
• The Broadkill Review, Milton, Delaware
• Ekeken, Thessaloniki, Greece
• Envolimon, Beotia, Greece
• Annual Literary Review, Athens, Greece
• Stigmes, Crete, Greece
• Apodimi Krites, Crete, Greece
• Patris, Crete, Greece
• Nyxta-Mera, Chania, Greece
• Flowers on the Wall, Thessaloniki, Greece
• Diasporic Literature Spot, Melbourne, Australia
• Black Sheep Dances, California, USA
• Diasporic Literature Magazine, Melbourne, Australia
• Spotlight on the Arts, Surrey, BC
• Mediterranean Poetry, Sweden
• Barnwood, International Poetry Magazine, Seattle, USA
• Unrorean, University of Maine, Farmington, Maine, USA
• Vakhikon, Athens, Greece
• Paremvasi, Kozani, Greece
• In Praise-In Memory-In Ink, Toronto, Canada