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Neil Aitken

b. 1974

Canadian writer

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About Neil Aitken

Born 1974. Neil Aitken is a Canadian translator, poet, writer, librettist and programmer.

Neil Aitken (born 1974 in Vancouver, British Columbia) is a Canadian poet, editor, and translator. He founded Boxcar Poetry Review. His first book, The Lost Country of Sight, won the 2007 Philip Levine Prize for Poetry.

Biography

Early life and education Aitken was born in Vancouver in 1974 and was raised in Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Canada, and the United States. His father was of Scottish and English descent and his mother was of Chinese descent. He had a younger sister. As an undergraduate, he studied Computer Engineering with a minor in Mathematics.

Literature career Aitken's first book, The Lost Country of Sight, won the 2007 Philip Levine Prize. In 2016, he published Babbage’s Dream, a semi-finalist for the Anthony Hecht Prize. He founded Boxcar Poetry Review. Aitken and Chinese poet-translator Ming Di translated The Book of Cranes: Selected Poems of Zang Di. In 2011, Aitken was awarded the DJS Translation Prize for "his translations of contemporary Chinese poetry."

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Important facts

Born
1974, Vancouver
Birth century
Nationality
Education
University of Southern California, University of California, Riverside, Brigham Young University
Awards
Kundiman Fellowship
Also known as
Neil Tangaroa Aitken

People in Neil Aitken's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Neil Aitken's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Neil Aitken?

Canadian writer

When was Neil Aitken born?

Neil Aitken was born in 1974 in Vancouver.

What is Neil Aitken's occupation?

Neil Aitken is a translator, poet, writer, librettist and programmer.

What nationality is Neil Aitken?

Neil Aitken is Canadian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Neil Aitken

· Wikidata: Q24192021

· DBpedia: Neil Aitken

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Neil Aitken. https://biography.guide/neil-aitken/

MLA: "Neil Aitken." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/neil-aitken/.

Chicago: "Neil Aitken." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/neil-aitken/.

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