Lives of Girls and Women

Alice Munro is a Canadian author known for her short stories and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013. She grew up in Ontario, where her father farmed fox and mink. Her experiences as a young girl provide Munro with first-hand perspectives on the lifestyles of many of her characters, including Del Jordan, as well as the setting of southern Ontario, where many of her stories are situated. During her time at the University of Western Ontario, Munro studied journalism and English. Her first story, which was published during her time in higher education in the late 1940s through early 1950s, was titled “The Dimensions of a Shadow.” Munro has written multiple short story collections throughout her career, including Dear Life, Dance of the Happy Shades, and Lives of Girls and Women. Munro is one of the most notable and decorated Canadian authors, having won awards including the O. Henry Award and the Man Booker International Prize, as well as being shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

In her work, Munro explores themes regarding womanhood, coming of age, self-discovery, creativity, and the relationships between people and nature through gothic and realist