Don Bailey 1942 - 2003

Novelist, Poet, Storywriter, Television and Film Writer

“I never want to be old enough to be a ghost…” Don Bailey

Donald Gilbert Bailey was born in Toronto. He lived most of his childhood years in foster care. He quit school after completing grade eight.

His writing career began in the 1960s while serving time in a Kingston prison for bank robbery. It was during this time that he began studying journalism through correspondence courses.

After his release from prison, he had numerous poems and stories published. He became a novelist, poet, short story writer, playwright, and television and film writer. It was at this time that he met renowned Canadian novelist Margaret Laurence. They were friends until her death in 1987.

Don Bailey worked in corrections, and ran halfway homes in Winnipeg and Peterborough. He wanted to assist inmates upon their release from prison, and worked at keeping families and inmates together. He worked with convicts and inmates until the day he died.

Bailey is the author of more than 15 books. He won the Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction for his novel A Stranger to Myself at the Manitoba Literary and Publishing Awards in 2002 or 2003.

His book Memories of Margaret, a memoir of his 20 year friendship with Laurence, was a finalist for the 1990 Toronto Book Award.

Homeless Heart: Persona Poems, a work of poetry, was awarded the silver medal as the best book of poetry of 1990 by the Canadian Authors Association.

There is no doubt that his writings and the many stories that he loved to tell touched many people.

Some books written by Don Bailey:

Best Canadian Christmas Stories
The Shapes Around Me
Great Canadian Murder and Mystery Stories
She Called My Name
Swim for Your Life
My Bareness Is Not Just My Body
In the Belly of the Whale: A Novel
The Sorry Papers
If You Hum Me A Few Bars I Might Remember the Tune; Stories
Sunflowers Never Sleep
Jerusalem In the Light of Prophecy
How Will They Know When We Get There?
Sitting on The Stairs
Always Hungry
Encyclopedia of Mexican Money
A Stanger to Myself
Window Dressing
Making Up New Stories