About Leon Rooke
Born 1934. Leon Rooke is an American novelist, writer and academic.
Leon Rooke, CM (born September 11, 1934) is a Canadian novelist and short story writer. He was born in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina in the United States. Educated at the University of North Carolina, he moved to Canada in 1969. He now lives in Toronto, Ontario.
He is most noted for his 1983 novel Shakespeare's Dog, which was the winner of the Governor General's Award for English-language fiction at the 1983 Governor General's Awards.
With his late wife Connie, Rooke helped to found the Eden Mills Writers' Festival in 1989.
In 2002, Rooke championed The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence in that year's edition of Canada Reads. Rooke's work also appears in Blackbird: an online journal of literature and the arts.
In 2007, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada.
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Important facts
People in Leon Rooke's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who is Leon Rooke?
Canadian writer
When was Leon Rooke born?
Leon Rooke was born on 11 September 1934 in Halifax County, Roanoke Rapids.
What is Leon Rooke's occupation?
Leon Rooke is a novelist, writer and academic.
What nationality is Leon Rooke?
Leon Rooke is American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Leon Rooke. https://biography.guide/leon-rooke/
MLA: "Leon Rooke." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/leon-rooke/.
Chicago: "Leon Rooke." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/leon-rooke/.
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