Frances Itani

Frances Itani CM (born August 25, 1942) is an acclaimed Canadian novelist, poet, essayist, and Member of the Order of Canada whose deeply researched fiction explores themes of historical trauma, family dynamics, and profound human resilience. Born in Belleville, Ontario, and raised in Quebec, she worked as a registered nurse and nursing instructor for eight years before a creative writing course under legendary author W.O. Mitchell prompted her to change careers. Over a distinguished literary journey, she has published 18 books spanning multi-genre fiction, poetry collections, and children's literature. Itani vaulted onto the international stage with her 2003 masterpiece, Deafening—a Commonwealth Writers' Prize-winning #1 bestseller translated into 18 countries that follows a deaf woman navigating life and separation during the First World War. Her subsequent bestselling historical works include her Giller Prize-shortlisted novel Tell, the Washington Post top fiction pick Requiem (which tracks the legacy of Japanese-Canadian internment), and her recent hit novel, The Company We Keep. A three-time winner of the CBC Literary Award, a dedicated humanitarian volunteer, and recipient of the Writers' Trust of Canada's Matt Cohen Award for lifetime achievement, she continues to write from her home in Ottawa.