Morley Edward Callaghan was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1903, anddies in 1990. He was a novelist, short story writer, playwright, TV andradio personality. Callaghan graduated from both the University of Torontoand Osgoode Law School. In the same year that his first novel, StrangeFugitive, was published, 1928, Callaghan was called to the bar; however hispassion for fiction was stronger than for law, therefore he never practiceslaw.
Callaghan married Loretto Dee, with whom he had to sons. Michael andBarry, poet and author. Barry also wrote a memoirCallaghan was surrounded by many renowned authors while he wasstarting his career. He had taken a summer position at the Toronto Star,where Ernest Hemingway was at that time employed.
In April 1929 he alongwith his wife, Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and James Joyce went toParis. While in Paris, Callaghan wrote a memoir which was The Summer inParis. Included in this memoir is the infamous boxing match betweenCallaghan and Hemingway. The challenge was put for by Hemmingway say thathe was a better boxer. When Callaghan knocked him to the ground,Hemingway’s ego and pride were knocked down as well. Callaghan beganwriting stories that were well received and soon was recognized as one ofthe best short story writers of his day.
Callaghan published more than sixteen novels, and more than a hundredshort stories. He has one many awards, some of these awards are; the 1951Governor General for The Loved and the Lost; Lorne Pierce Medal of theRoyal Society of Canada; the Molson Prize; The Royal Bank Award; andinvested as a Companion of the Order of Canada.
Callaghan stories are usually set in the modern city; his fictioncaptures the drama of ordinary lives as people struggle against abackground of often hostile social forces. Stories by Callaghan deliver rawsentiment effectively. He homes in on a turning point in someone’s life,most commonly the moment when a young person is suddenly made aware of howthe world really is. And he makes us see it too.
