Writer, editor, teacher and profilic freelancer
Bob Collins has died
It's a very sad day when you hear that one of Canada's great editors, writing teachers, freelance writers and authors, Bob Collins, has died. But it was a great privilege to have known him and been the object of his gentle and pleasant ways.[UPDATE: See funeral details at the end of this post*.]
When I first met Bob he had one of the best magazine writing jobs in Canada, to my mind, as "at large" editor for Reader's Digest. It meant he was self-assigning and could go virtually anywhere in the country to write about anything, and often did, with an uncanny ear for ordinary people's extraordinary dialogue. He wrote simply and clearly and made that look easier than it was.
Bob was at one time editor of the Imperial Oil Review and Toronto Life, and a staff writer for Maclean's. He was also a prolific freelancer In recent years, however, he became a full-time book author and wrote, at last count, 16 , such as Who He? Reflections on a Writing Life,
He inspired his daughter Catherine to go into magazines, too; she is now managing editor of Cottage Life.
[*UPDATE: Visitation Friday, August 24 2-4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Humphrey Funeral Home -- A.W. Miles Chapel, 1403 Bayview Avenue (south of Eglinton Ave. East). Memorial service and reception on Tuesday, August 28 at 2 p.m. at St. Cuthbert's Church, 1399 Bayview Avenue.]
[CORRECTION: Two of the books cited are by Bob Collins, a writer, but not the Bob Collins written about in this post. Apologies for the error. See "comments" below.]
(photo: Evelyn DeMille, 2004)
Labels: obituary
posted by D. B. Scott at
11:14 am
1 Comments:
As a reader I was saddened to learn of the passing of acclaimed prairie author Bob Collins. Like many Canadians, particularly those with rural roots, I am a fan of Mr. Collins' stories and style. As a writer who shares the same name and speaks to the same subject matter I have occasionally been confused with my more emminant namesake. Currently, I fear, in the preceeding obituary. 2 of the titles attributed to Mr. Collins, "Out Standing In Their Field" and "Dance With the One That Brung Ya" are in fact books written by the lesser known Bob Collins. While I would be flattered to to be considered Mr. Collins' literary peer I am reluctant to assume that he would feel likewise and believe that we owe it to the more emminant Mr. Collins to set the record straight.
Information regarding "Out Standing In Their Field" and other titles by the other Bob Collins is available at "arrowvale.ca" click on the "Stone Pillow Press" icon.
Further information about the other Bob Collins is availavble at "ABCBookworld.com" a BC author bank hosted by Simon Fraser University.
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