setName:"Norman Levine fonds" found 1 record - The Canadian Jewish Heritage Network

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Scope and Content: Fonds consists of World War II Service and Pay Book and other World War II documents, a small book of stories and pictures entitled, "In Lower Town" - published in 1977 (two copies), Canada made me - 1982, Champagne Barn - 1984 (two copies), and an extensive collection of news clippings about the a…

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of World War II Service and Pay Book and other World War II documents, a small book of stories and pictures entitled, "In Lower Town" - published in 1977 (two copies), Canada made me - 1982, Champagne Barn - 1984 (two copies), and an extensive collection of news clippings about the author from 1959-2005.

History / Biographical: Albert Norman Levine, (October 22, 1923 – June 14, 2005), a novelist, short story writer and essayist, born to Jewish Orthodox parents Moses and Annie (nee Raport) in Ottawa in 1923. Levine's parents emigrated from Poland to Ottawa, where his father became a fruit seller. He was raised on Murray Street in Lowertown, Ottawa, then mainly a French district, he grew up feeling an outsider. He completed his early education at York Street Public School and the High School of Commerce. At the age of 18 he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force as a tail gunner during World War II. He returned to Canada and earned his MA from McGill University in 1949. Apart from a brief return to Toronto in the early eighties and some time in France, Norman Levine made his life in Britain. In 2002, he was awarded the Writers Trust of Canada Matt Cohen Award.

Notes: 1. Biography in part from Globe and Mail Obituaries Norman Levine, novelist and poet, 1923-2005. 2. Literary material may be found at York University Archives and special collections. We have a copy of the fonds description in Misc. file 3. World War II material donated by Irene Waxman, May, 2007. A letter from Irene to old OJA archivist Dawn Logan is in Misc. file. 4. Spoke with Norman Levine’s younger sister, Irene Waxman, May, 2007. She said he came to Ottawa fairly often to visit, and even travelled to Smith Falls to visit her on one occasion. He also visited his old Ottawa friends, Chaim Gunner, Shier Butovsky and Lionel Goldfield. As well, Irene visited Norman in England and met his first wife, and also his second wife at their mother’s 80th birthday party in Ottawa. He and his second wife bought a villa in France. He said “If I can’t speak French I won’t be staying long”. They eventually separated and he returned to England. 5. While the Ottawa Jewish community was not happy about his portrayal of Lower Town Life, Irene Waxman said that she and her mother were always happy to see him. 6. Mrs. Levine, mother of Norman, was a long time member of the Chevra Kadisha.