Born in Ceprano in the Province of Frosinone, in the region of Lazio, Italy, Gianna Patriarca came to Canada as a child in 1960.

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She is an award-winning author of eight books of poetry and one children’s book. Her work

has been adapted for stage at the Berkley Street Theater and for CBC radio drama. Her

writing is widely anthologized and featured in various documentaries including

Enigmatico, Pier 21, The Italian/Canadians and Three Women: Adopting Lines,

Adapting Lives. She has most recently appeared in the OMNI TV documentary series, 

Famiglia.

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Gianna’s books appear on the course list of numerous universities across Canada, the US and

Italy. Her first book Italian Women and Other Tragedies was runner-up to the Milton

Acorn People’s Poetry Award. It was translated into Italian in 2009 and presented

at the University of Bologna and Naples Orientale. In 2010 she was the first

recipient of the Science and Culture Award from the Italian Chamber of Commerce of

Ontario.

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She is a regular contributor to many of the literary events held in the city and often

appears at Word Stage, Art Bar, Italian Cultural Institute, Toronto Poetry Month,

and countless other events including regular visits to the Caritas organization directed by

Father John Carparelli, where she has read and prepared creative writing workshops for the

residents.

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My Etruscan Face was short listed for the Bressani Literary Prize in 20l0. Her latest publication is

a collection of stories inspired by the lives of Italian/Canadian women in Toronto. All My Fallen Angelas was launched on May 5th, 2016 and published by Inanna Publications.

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Gianna continues to read and perform her work extensively throughout Canada and the US while 

somehow finding the time to work on her novel, The Sicilian's Bride.

 

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