About Edwin Honig
Lived 1919 – 2011 (aged 91). Edwin Honig was an American linguist, poet, translator, literary critic, university teacher and writer.
Edwin Honig (September 3, 1919 – May 25, 2011) was an American poet, playwright, and translator.
Life Honig was born in Brooklyn, New York. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1941 and, after Army service in Europe during World War II, a master’s in English from Wisconsin.
His work appeared in AGNI and Nedge magazines.
Professor Honig’s first wife, Charlotte, died in the early 1960s. His second marriage, to Margot Dennes, ended in divorce in the early 1980s.
Following an illness, cited by a family friend as complications from Alzheimer's disease, Honig died on May 25, 2011. Professor Honig's survivors include his sister, Lila Putnam, and his two adopted sons from his marriage to Ms. Dennes, Daniel (born 1965) and Jeremy (born 1967).
In 2012, filmmaker Alan Berliner completed a documentary feature film about Honig and Honig's loss of memory due to Alzheimer's titled, First Cousin Once Removed. Berliner's mother was Honig's first cousin. The film premiered at the New York Film Festival on October 9, 2012.
Awards 1948 Guggenheim Fellowship writer-in-residence Mishkenot Sha'ananim The National Endowment for the Arts The Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters 1986 he was knighted by the President of Portugal for his work in literary translation 1996 by the King of Spain 1968-1969 Amy Lowell Poetry Travelling Scholarship Governor's Medal (Rhode Island) Golden Rose of the New England Poetry Club
Work
Poetry
with illustrations by Jean Zaleski
Plays The Widow (verse play), first produced in San Francisco, CA, 1953. Calisto and Melibea (libretto; first produced in Davis, CA, 1979), Hellcoal Press (Providence, RI), 1972.
Translations
(With A. S. Trueblood)
Criticism
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Edwin Honig's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Edwin Honig's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Edwin Honig?
author (1919–2011)
When was Edwin Honig born?
Edwin Honig was born on 3 September 1919 in Brooklyn.
When did Edwin Honig die?
Edwin Honig died on 25 May 2011 in Providence.
What was Edwin Honig's occupation?
Edwin Honig was a linguist, poet, translator, literary critic, university teacher and writer.
What nationality was Edwin Honig?
Edwin Honig was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Edwin Honig. https://biography.guide/edwin-honig/
MLA: "Edwin Honig." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/edwin-honig/.
Chicago: "Edwin Honig." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/edwin-honig/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:11 UTC