Manolis (Emmanuel Aligizakis) is a Greek-Canadian poet and author. He was recently appointed an honorary instructor and fellow of the International Arts Academy, and awarded a Master’s for the Arts in Literature. He is recognized for his ability to convey images and thoughts in a rich and evocative way that tugs at something deep within the reader. Born in the village of Kolibari on the island of Crete in 1947, he moved with his family at a young age to Thessaloniki and then to Athens, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Sciences from the Panteion University of Athens. After graduation, he served in the armed forces for two years and emigrated to Vancouver in 1973, where he worked as an iron worker, train labourer, taxi driver, and stock broker, and studied English Literature at Simon Fraser University. He has written three novels and numerous collections of poetry, which are steadily being released as published works. His articles, poems and short stories in both Greek and English have appeared in various magazines and newspapers in Canada, United States, Sweden, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Australia, and Greece. He now lives in White Rock, where he spends his time writing, gardening, traveling, and heading Libros Libertad, an unorthodox and independent publishing company which he founded in 2006 with the mission of publishing literary books.
Distinguished Awards
- 1st International Poetry Prize for his translation of “George Seferis-Collected Poems”, 2013
- Master of the Arts in Literature, International Arts Academy, 2013
- 1st Prize for poetry, 7th Volos poetry Competition, 2012
- Honorary instructor and fellow, International Arts Academy, 2012
- 2nd Prize for short story, Interartia festival, 2012
- 2nd Prize for Poetry, Interartia Festival, 2012
- 2nd Prize for poetry, Interartia Festival, 2011
- 3rd prize for short stories, Interartia Festival, 2011
Books by Manolis
- Ubermensch/Υπεράνθρωπος, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2013
- Mythography, paintings and poetry, Libros Libertad, 2012
- Nostos and Algos, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2012
- Vortex, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2011
- The Circle, novel, Libros Libertad, 2011
- Vernal Equinox, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2011
- Opera Bufa, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2010
- Vespers, poetry by Manolis paintings by Ken Kirkby, Libros Libertad, 2010
- Triptych, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2010
- Nuances, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2009
- Rendition, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2009
- Impulses, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2009
- Troglodytes, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2008
- Petros Spathis, novel, Libros Libertad, 2008
- El Greco, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2007
- Path of Thorns, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2006
- Footprints in Sandstone, poetry, Authorhouse, Bloomington, Indiana, 2006
- The Orphans – an Anthology, poetry, Authorhouse, Bloomington, Indiana, 2005
Translations by Manolis
- Yannis Ritsos-Selected Poems, Ekstasis Editions, 2013
- Cloe and Alexandra-Selected Poems, Libros Libertad, 2013
- George Seferis-Collected Poems, Libros Libertad, 2012
- Yannis Ritsos-Poems, Libros Libertad, 2010
- Constantine P. Cafavy – Poems, Libros Libertad, 2008
- Cavafy-Selected Poems, Ekstasis Editions, 2011
Books in other languages
- Nostos si Algos, (Romanian) poetry, DELLART, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 2013
- Tolmires Anatasis, (Greek) poetry, GAVRIILIDIS EDITIONS, Athens, Greece, 2013
- Filloroes, (Greek ) poetry, ENEKEN PUBLICATIONS, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2013
- Earini Isimeria, (Greek) poetry, ENEKEN PUBLICATIONS, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2011
- Stratis o Roukounas, (Greek) novel, MAVRIDIS EDITIONS, Athens, Greece, 1981
Magazines
- Canadian Fiction Magazine—Victoria, BC
- Pacific Rim Review of Books—Victoria, BC
- Canadian Poetry Review—Victoria, BC
- Monday Poem, Leaf Press-Lantzville, BC
- The Broadkill Review, Milton, Delaware
- Ekeken, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Envolimon, Beotia, Greece
- Annual Literary Review, Athens, Greece
- Stigmes, Crete, Greece
- Apodimi Krites, Crete, Greece
- Patris, Crete, Greece
- Nyxta-Mera, Chania, Greece
- Wallflowers, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Diasporic Literature Spot, Melbourne, Australia
- Black Sheep Dances, California, USA
- Diasporic Literature Magazine, Melbourne, Australia
- Spotlight on the Arts, Surrey, BC
- Barnwood, International Poetry Magazine, Seattle, USA
- Unrorean, University of Maine, Farmington, Maine, USA
- Vakhikon, Athens, Greece
- Paremvasi, Kozani, Greece
- Szoros Ko, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Mediterranean Poetry, Sweden
- Apostaktirio, Athens, Greece
- Life and Art, Athens, Greece
- Logos and Images, Athens, Greece
- Contemporary Writers and Thinkers, Athens, Greece
- Palinodiae, Athens, Greece
- Royal City Poet’s Anthology, 2013, New Westminster, BC, Canada
- To parathyro, Paris, France
